Chai Bars

Photo: Kate

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar

cup ½ white sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 pinch salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

teaspoon ¾ cloves

teaspoon ¾ ground cardamom

teaspoon ¼ black pepper

teaspoon ¼ ground star anise

Preparation

Mix butter and sugars in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Add egg and mix well. Add flour, spices and salt, and stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Press into a 9X12 baking pan that has been greased with Baker’s Joy (or buttered and floured) and smooth with a spatula until the dough is even and flat. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until the cookies are a pale golden brown. Let cool.

For the icing:

Mix 2 T honey, 1 t ground ginger, and 1 c. powdered sugar together in a bowl. Add water until the icing is at a spreadable consistency, and spread over the cooled cookies. Cut with a pastry cutter or pizza wheel.