Frosted Spinach Bars (Printable Version)
Tender bars blending spinach, walnuts, and cinnamon topped with creamy vanilla frosting.
# What You'll Need:
→ Spinach Bars
01 - 2 cups fresh spinach, packed (or 1 cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry)
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
→ Frosting
12 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
14 - 1 cup powdered sugar
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - Blend fresh spinach in a food processor until finely chopped.
03 - Whisk sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in chopped spinach.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Fold in walnuts if using.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
07 - Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing until smooth.
08 - Spread frosting evenly over cooled bars.
09 - Cut into 16 bars and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The bars stay incredibly moist for days thanks to the spinach, which nobody can taste.
- Kids eat them without knowing theyre getting a serving of greens.
- The cream cheese frosting balances the subtle spice and makes every bite feel indulgent.
02 -
- Frozen spinach works fine, but you must squeeze out every drop of water or the batter will be soupy and wont bake properly.
- Dont skip lining the pan with parchment, it makes lifting the bars out so much easier and prevents sticking.
03 -
- Use room temperature eggs and softened cream cheese so everything mixes smoothly without lumps.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until it spreads easily.