Description
Homemade gingerbread cookie bars offer a delightful twist on classic holiday treats. Spiced with warm cinnamon and molasses, these rich bars provide a comforting dessert perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (1) large egg
- 1 (1) large egg yolk
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 grams) brown sugar (light or dark)
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) unsulphured molasses
- 8 oz (225 grams) brick-style cream cheese (full-fat)
- 2–3 cups (240–360 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsps ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsps whipping cream or milk
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with rack centered. Line 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or cooking spray for effortless removal.
- Dry Ingredients Blend: Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda in a medium bowl until uniformly combined.
- Butter Mixture Creation: Cream softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light, fluffy, and substantially increased in volume.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Introduce molasses, vanilla extract, whole egg, and egg yolk to the butter mixture. Blend until thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
- Dough Assembly: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing minimally to maintain a delicate texture. Transfer dough to prepared pan, using greased fingertips to distribute evenly.
- Baking Process: Bake for 22-25 minutes, monitoring for slightly pulling edges and clean toothpick test. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely within the pan.
- Frosting Preparation: Whip butter until exceptionally soft, then incorporate cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Gradually add powdered sugar and whipping cream, blending on low speed until achieving a spreadable consistency.
- Final Decoration: Once bars are completely cooled, spread cream cheese frosting generously across the surface using an offset spatula. Optionally garnish with decorative toppings for a festive appearance.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients to maintain a tender, soft bar texture without developing tough gluten strands.
- Temperature Precision: Allow butter and eggs to reach room temperature before mixing to ensure smooth, even incorporation and optimal baking results.
- Toothpick Test Tip: Check doneness by inserting a toothpick near the center; it should come out clean with a few moist crumbs, indicating perfectly baked bars.
- Cooling Strategy: Let bars cool completely in the pan to set properly, allowing the texture to stabilize and flavors to develop fully before frosting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22-25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 22
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg