Description
Classic holiday magic comes alive with gingerbread cookie bars, delivering warm spices and nostalgic comfort in one delightful dessert. Festive bakers and cookie enthusiasts will savor rich molasses notes and perfectly balanced sweetness that celebrate winter’s most cherished flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (220 grams) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (85 grams) molasses
- 2 large eggs
Frosting (Optional):
- Cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Warm the oven to a moderate temperature, ensuring an even heat distribution for consistent baking.
- Blend softened butter with rich brown sugar and dark molasses, whipping until the mixture becomes creamy and uniform.
- Incorporate eggs into the sweet base, stirring until completely integrated and smooth.
- Prepare a separate mixing vessel to combine all dry ingredients: wheat flour, aromatic ground ginger, warming cinnamon, pungent cloves, leavening agent, and mineral salt.
- Carefully fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently to create a cohesive dough without overmixing.
- Transfer the fragrant batter into a prepared rectangular baking pan, using a spatula to distribute evenly and create a level surface.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven, allowing the bars to bake until the center becomes firm and the edges develop a slight golden hue.
- Remove from the oven and allow the gingerbread bars to cool completely, which helps set the texture and intensify the spice flavors.
- Once thoroughly cooled, slice the baked treat into individual bars, presenting a delightful seasonal dessert perfect for sharing.
Notes
- Adjust spice levels by increasing or decreasing ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves to suit personal taste preferences.
- Swap traditional molasses with maple syrup for a lighter, less intense flavor profile that’s kid-friendly.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with a reliable gluten-free flour blend, ensuring xanthan gum is included for proper texture.
- Consider adding chopped crystallized ginger or dark chocolate chips to the batter for extra depth and surprising bursts of flavor in each bar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg