Christmas Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe

Whenever anyone in my family gets a hankering for that warm, spicy gingerbread taste but we’re short on time, those gingerbread cookie bars are our go-to.

They’re a perfect shortcut to gingery bliss: super easy to put together and bake and taste just as amazing as the traditional kind. Wanna learn how to make those cookie bars? Read on!

Why You Should Try This Out

There’s so much to love about this simple gingerbread cookie bars recipe:

• Aromatic Baking: When these bars are in the oven, the scent is just heavenly. That warm, spicy gingerbread smell drifting through the house is pure comfort, whether you’re having people over or just chilling on a cold day. I always find myself sneaking little sniffs while they bake.
• Easy Serving: Forget fiddling with individual cookies. These bars are baked in one pan and sliced into whatever size squares you want. Perfect for parties or if you, like me, need to carefully ration your treats throughout the week.
• Fun for All Ages: If you have kids, this is a baking project you can actually enjoy doing together. It’s much less messy than rolling and cutting out individual cookies. Little hands can help mix the ingredients and spread the batter in the pan or have fun decorating the baked bars.
• Perfect for Gifting: This recipe for gingerbread cookie bars makes a generous batch, so you can whip up a big pan and easily cut it into squares for everyone on your list. They travel well, stay fresh, and show you put some real effort into your present without keeping you trapped in the kitchen all day.

4 Easy Steps To Make Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Ingredients

First, let’s gather our ingredients for the cookies themselves:

• All-Purpose Flour: The base
• Baking Soda: It gives these bars some lift and counteracts the density of the melted butter and molasses.
• Sugar: I swear by a mix of granulated and brown sugar for extra moisture.
• Salt: It enhances the flavors and balances out all that sweetness.
• Unsalted Butter: This, in my opinion, is the secret to super soft and chewy bars. 
• Unsulphured Molasses: Blackstrap molasses can be a bit too intense and bitter for this recipe.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: To add more nuances to the flavor.
• Spices: Ground black pepper, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger

You’ll also need these for the spiced cream cheese frosting: full-fat brick cream cheese, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, allspice, cinnamon, ground ginger, pure vanilla extract, and sprinkles (optional).

Instructions

Step 1. Prep

Put your oven to 350°F (177°C). Make sure the rack is in the middle. I like to use an oven thermometer to double-check the temperature – ovens can be a bit quirky.

Line a 9×13 inch pan (metal or glass is fine) with parchment paper. Leave some extra parchment hanging over the edges. This makes it super easy to lift the bars out later.

Step 2. Mix the Ingredients

Grab a big bowl and whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and all the spices.

In another bowl (a bit smaller this time), whisk together the molasses, melted butter, granulated and brown sugar. Make sure there are no sugar lumps. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until everything is nicely combined.

Step 3. Combine and Bake

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix. You’ll notice the dough is pretty thick and has a nice sheen to it. That’s exactly what you want.

Spread the dough evenly in your prepared pan. It’ll be a thin layer, but don’t worry; it’ll bake up just fine.

Bake for around 25 minutes. The top should be set but still a bit soft, and a toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Resist the urge to overbake. The bars will puff up while baking and then settle as they cool.

Step 4. Cool Down & Frost

Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This usually takes me about an hour. Don’t rush it, as cooling helps the bars firm up so they’re easier to frost.

While the bars cool, make the frosting. In a large bowl, fold the unsalted butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger. 

Beat at low speed for 30 seconds, then high for 2 minutes. I usually add a tiny pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness.

Once the bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over them. Sprinkles are optional but always fun! Pop the pan in the fridge for about 30 minutes to help the frosting set.

Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and cut them into squares. And now your gingerbread cookie bars are ready to enjoy!

4 Tips on Making Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Making Ahead

This dough is a champ when it comes to making ahead. It’ll happily chill in your fridge for up to three days, or you can freeze it for a whopping three months. Just make sure it comes to room temperature before you bake.

Leftovers

If you have any bars left (which I doubt!), store frosted bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Plain bars can hang out at room temperature, covered for up to three days, or in the fridge for a whole week.

Baked bars are freezer-friendly, too, with or without frosting. Freeze them for up to three months, thaw overnight in the fridge, and then let them sit out at room temperature before you serve them.

Butter

Once you melt your butter, don’t let it cool down too much before you mix in the sugars and molasses. If it gets too cool, your dough could be crumbly, and your bars might be a bit cakey.

Halving the Recipe

While you can do so for an 8-inch or thinner 9-inch batch (you should bake time stays about the same and start checking around 20 minutes), halving an egg can be tricky.

Honestly, I’d recommend making the full batch and freezing what you don’t eat. Less fuss, and you’ll have treats ready to go later!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Can I Use In Place of Molasses?

Dark corn syrup or honey are decent substitutes, though they’ll definitely tweak the flavor and texture of the gingerbread bars.

What are Some Other Frosting Options?

Cream cheese frosting not your cup of tea? Try my vanilla buttercream or brown butter frosting instead. Either one would be amazing on these cookie bars.

Are Ginger Snaps the Same as Gingerbread Cookies?

They’re both spiced cookies, but gingersnaps are usually rolled into balls, while gingerbread cookies are rolled out and cut into fun shapes.

—I can’t wait to hear how your homemade gingerbread cookie bars turn out. Drop me a line in the comments!