Description
Delightfully spiced Gingerbread Cookie Bars topped with a creamy spiced cream cheese frosting, perfect for holidays or cozy gatherings. These bars balance warm gingerbread flavors with a smooth, sweet frosting and a hint of festive spices.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- small pinch of ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (dark recommended)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (113g/80ml) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces (170g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- small pinch each of ground ginger, cinnamon, and allspice
- optional for garnish: sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and adjust the oven rack to the center position. Line a 9×13-inch metal or glass baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses until smooth and lump-free. Whisk in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
- Make the Dough: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix using a large spoon or silicone spatula until the dough is thick, shiny, and no dry flour streaks remain. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. It will form a thin layer, which is normal.
- Bake the Bars: Bake for 26 minutes or until the top is set but still soft with a toothpick inserted coming out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking. Let the bars cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour.
- Prepare Frosting: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then high for 2 minutes until creamy. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
- Frost the Bars: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Add sprinkles if desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the frosting before slicing.
- Serve and Store: Lift bars out of the pan using parchment overhang and cut into 18-24 squares. Store leftover bars tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Plain bars without frosting can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
- Baked bars freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Halving the recipe is possible; use an 8-inch or 9-inch pan and start checking doneness at 22 minutes.
- Use unsulphured or dark molasses for best flavor; avoid blackstrap molasses due to its bitterness.
- For the frosting, use brick-style cream cheese instead of spreadable tub cream cheese for proper texture.
- Do not let melted butter cool before mixing into sugars to prevent dry or cakey dough.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
