Coffee-Glazed Molasses Bars

Name: Coffee-Glazed Molasses Bars
Yield: makes
Ingredients: 8 Tbsp (113g) unsalted butter, melted; 1/3 cup (113g) unsulphured molasses; ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar; ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg, cold from the fridge; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp ground allspice; ½ tsp fine sea salt; ¾ tsp baking soda; 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour; ½ cup (50g) powdered sugar; 1 tsp instant espresso powder; Pinch of salt; 2 to 3 tsp milk, any kind

Image of Coffee-Glazed Molasses Bars — Photo by Yossy Arefi

Servings

makes one 8 x 8-inch pan

Prep Time

10-15 minutes

Cook Time

24-27 minutes

"I love a molasses cookie any time of year, and these chewy bar cookies are packed with all of the delicious warm spices you’d expect. The coffee glaze is pleasantly bittersweet, just like molasses, and they make such a tasty pair you’ll be left wondering why all molasses cookies don’t have a little coffee glaze on top."

Excerpted with permission from Snacking Bakes: Simple Recipes for Cookies, Bars, Brownies, Cakes, and More by Yossy Arefi. Copyright © 2023 by Yasameen Arefi-Afshar. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

Author:

Yossy Arefi

Ingredients

Molasses Bars

8 Tbsp (113g) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup (113g) unsulphured molasses
½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, cold from the fridge
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp fine sea salt
¾ tsp baking soda
1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour

Coffee Glaze

½ cup (50g) powdered sugar
1 tsp instant espresso powder
Pinch of salt
2 to 3 tsp milk, any kind

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Coat an 8 × 8- inch baking pan with cooking spray or brush with butter. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the sides.
MAKE THE BARS: In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.
Add the egg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt and whisk until smooth and glossy.
Whisk in the baking soda. Fold in the flour with a spatula and mix until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and use an offset spatula or lightly oiled hands to press the thick dough evenly into the pan.
Bake the bars until puffy, golden brown, and just slightly firm, 24 to 27 minutes.
Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack; they will deflate as they cool.
MEANWHILE, MAKE THE GLAZE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, espresso powder, and salt. Drizzle in the milk until the glaze is thick and opaque but pourable.
Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and then drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.