Description
Delightful gingerbread cookie bars that combine warm spices and rich molasses, topped with a creamy spiced cream cheese frosting. Perfectly thin and chewy with a hint of softness, these bars bring festive flavors to your holiday table with easy preparation and make-ahead convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
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 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, and allspice
- optional for garnish: sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat your 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 for easy bar removal, and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt until fully combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses until no lumps remain. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Make the Dough: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients. Mix with a large spoon or silicone spatula until the mixture is fully incorporated and shiny. The dough will be thick and somewhat thin once pressed into the pan.
- Press Dough into Pan: Transfer the dough into your prepared pan and press it evenly into a thin, smooth layer.
- Bake the Bars: Bake for 26 minutes or until the top is set but still soft and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake; bars will firm up as they cool.
- Cool Bars: Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour.
- Make the Frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. Scrape sides as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla extract. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to high and beat for 2 minutes until creamy and fully combined. Adjust salt if needed to balance sweetness.
- Frost the Bars: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Add sprinkles if desired. To set the frosting, refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and Store: Lift bars out using parchment overhang, place on a cutting board, and cut into squares. Store leftover bars tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Without frosting, bars can be stored at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can prepare the dough ahead by chilling it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezing for up to 3 months. Allow dough to come to room temperature before proceeding to bake.
- Baked and cooled bars, frosted or unfrosted, freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- If halving the recipe, use an 8-inch or thinner 9-inch pan and start checking doneness at 22 minutes.
- Use unsulphured or dark molasses for best flavor; blackstrap molasses is too bitter.
- Use full-fat brick cream cheese, not the spreadable tub kind, for the frosting.
- Avoid letting melted butter cool too long before mixing to keep dough soft and prevent cakey texture.
- The bars rise in the oven but will settle firm and chewy as they cool.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
