Description
These Gingerbread Cookie Bars are a festive twist on traditional gingerbread cookies, featuring warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves combined with rich molasses for a chewy, flavorful treat. Perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy winter afternoons, these bars bake up moist and tender with a delightful balance of spice and sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons Ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Molasses
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it to ensure the bars don’t stick after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt until evenly combined. This will create a well-blended spice base for your bars.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and packed brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until fully combined. The dough will be thick and somewhat stiff.
- Shape the Dough: Press the thick dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or your hands to smooth the surface for even baking.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. The edges should be set, and the center should no longer jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, optionally drizzle with a glaze or dust with powdered sugar for extra sweetness. Slice into bars and enjoy with a warm drink or share with holiday guests.
Notes
- To enhance the flavor, you can add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the dry ingredients.
- If you prefer a softer texture, slightly underbake the bars by a minute or two.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- These bars freeze well; wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
