Description
These Gingerbread Cookie Bars are soft, spiced, and perfectly sweetened with molasses, featuring a luscious spiced cream cheese frosting. Ideal for holiday treats or cozy dessert moments, they are easy to prepare and come with handy tips for make-ahead and freezing.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (281g)
- 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
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (170g / 12 Tbsp)
- 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (100g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses (113g / 80ml)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened (170g)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (28g)
- 1 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (180g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- small pinch each of ground ginger, cinnamon, and allspice
- optional: sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). 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 lifting of the bars. 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 no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Form Dough and Bake: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a large spoon or silicone spatula until no flour remains and the dough is thick and shiny. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into a smooth, even layer. Bake for 26 minutes or until the top is set but still soft and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Bars will puff up and then settle as they cool. Allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour.
- Make Frosting: Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl sides as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until creamy. Adjust sweetness with a pinch of salt if needed.
- Frost Bars and Chill: Spread the frosting evenly on the cooled bars. Add sprinkles if desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help the frosting set before slicing.
- Serve and Store: Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and cut into squares. Store leftover bars tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Unfrosted bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can prepare the cookie dough and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months; bring to room temperature before baking.
- Baked and cooled bars freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- To halve the recipe, use an 8-inch or thinner 9-inch pan and check for doneness starting at 22 minutes.
- Use melted butter promptly to avoid dough becoming crumbly or cakey.
- Prefer unsulphured or dark molasses like Grandma’s brand; avoid bitter blackstrap molasses.
- Use brick cream cheese for frosting, not the spreadable tub variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
