Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Gingerbread Cookie Bars, bursting with classic warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Topped with a rich cream cheese frosting and optional festive sprinkles, these bars are the perfect holiday treat that combine the taste of traditional gingerbread cookies with the ease of a bar dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cookie bars:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkles, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy removal of the bars.
- Mix butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This creates a creamy base for the cookie dough.
- Add egg and molasses: Beat in the egg until smooth, then add the molasses and mix until fully incorporated, giving the dough its characteristic deep, rich flavor.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt to evenly distribute the spices.
- Form the dough: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing to keep the bars tender.
- Bake the cookie bars: Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- Prepare the frosting: In a clean bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together for about 4 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat for another 4 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
- Frost the bars: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled gingerbread bars. Decorate with sprinkles if desired to add a festive touch.
- Serve and store: Slice into 24 bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze for extended storage.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week to maintain freshness.
- Freeze the bars either before frosting or after. Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and place in a zip-top freezer bag for up to one month.
- Ensure bars are completely cooled before frosting to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting.
- For allergy-friendly options, substitute ingredients accordingly, such as using dairy-free butter and cream cheese.
- Visit the blog post for additional tips and variations to customize your gingerbread bars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/24th of recipe)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
