Thank you Jeanne! Spice Bar Cookies

I love fancy cookies like linzer tarts and shortbread dipped in chocolate and crescents coated in powdered sugar, but I also like simpler cookies like classic chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies and gingersnaps.

My friend Jeanne recently gave me a recipe for a homey but delicious bar cookie, so simple, that combines spices like cinnamon and nutmeg with lots of raisins and nuts. The surprise ingredient is brewed coffee. To carry the flavor further, I also added coffee to some half and half which I mixed with confectioners sugar to make the glaze.

These cookies are not very tall but they are soft, moist, not too sweet, have just enough spice to highlight the raisins and nuts and that touch of coffee ties the flavors together. They go really well with a cup of coffee...just perfect for a pick me up.


Frosted Coffee Bars
From Jeanne Nahmens

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup strong coffee, cooled
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup raisins
¼ cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
2 tablespoons half and half
2 tablespoons brewed coffee, cooled
enough confectioners to make a glaze, about 1 cup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Blend together the butter, brown sugar and egg. Add the coffee and mix to incorporate.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to butter mixture and blend.

Add the raisins and nuts and stir to combine.

Turn batter into a greased and floured 9” x 13” pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until bars start pulling away from the side and are golden brown.

Let cool and then frost with a glaze made by combining the half and half, coffee, and powdered sugar.

Cut into bars to serve.

Makes 18 long bars or 36 smaller squares