Description
These Gingerbread Cookie Bars are soft, chewy, and packed with warm spices, making them a festive and easy holiday treat. They’re topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting for the perfect finishing touch.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir until just combined.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20–23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
- Spread frosting over cooled bars. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Do not overbake to keep the bars soft and chewy.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Can be made ahead and frozen (unfrosted) for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
