Description
Delicious Gingerbread Cookie Bars with warm spices and a creamy spiced cream cheese frosting, perfect for festive occasions and holiday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 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
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar
- 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, & allspice
- optional for garnish: sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and position the rack in the center. Line a 9×13-inch metal or glass baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses until smooth and lump-free. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Make the Dough: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredient bowl and stir with a large spoon or silicone spatula until there are no visible traces of flour and the dough is thick and shiny.
- Shape the Bars: Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press it into a smooth, even, thin layer using the back of the spoon or spatula.
- Bake: Bake for 26 minutes until the top is set but still soft and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs. Bars will puff in the oven but settle as they cool.
- Cool: Allow the bars to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour.
- Prepare Frosting: Using a handheld 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 the bowl as needed.
- Add Frosting Ingredients: 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 and smooth. Adjust sweetness with a pinch of salt if needed.
- Frost Bars: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Optionally, garnish with sprinkles. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help set the frosting.
- Serve: Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 18-24 squares. Store leftover frosted bars tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; unfrosted bars store at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can make the dough ahead and chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature before baking.
- Baked and cooled bars freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
- To halve the recipe, use an 8-inch or thinner 9-inch pan; begin checking for doneness at 22 minutes.
- Avoid letting melted butter cool before mixing, as this can cause crumbly dough and cakey bars.
- Use unsulphured or dark molasses for best flavor; avoid bitter blackstrap molasses.
- Use full-fat brick cream cheese, not spreadable tub variety, for the frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
