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If you are looking for a
SimpleHolidayRecipeOfWonder,
I would like you to meet these Chewy Gingerbread Bars.
They taste just like a gingerbread cookie…but thicker and chewier and just so darn delicious, you won’t believe it. As an added bonus, they are super quick to put together and only take 12 minutes to bake. Did I say they had a lot going for them, or what!?
When I made them last week my little boys and I could not stop eating them.
They kept saying things like…
They kept saying things like…
“Mom, these are dayyyyng gooood.”
and
“Hey these taste like those little men cookies!”
and
“Why can’t I have another one, you ate two!”
and
“What is the meaning of life, would you like me to sweep the floor and don’t you look look stunning today in your ponytail and stretch pants, Mom. Wow…you are one classy lady! Is that globby thing stuck on the bum of your pants frosting or crusty bread dough?”
Ok, they didn’t really say all that but I’m sure they were thinking it.
This recipe comes from my exceedingly classy,
kind hearted, beautiful, talented, masters degreed and
kind hearted, beautiful, talented, masters degreed and
very professional dietitian extraordinaire,
younger sister
Jen.
She’s single.
I just couldn’t help but write it.
Know anybody?
Don’t tell her I said it, ok?
Know anybody?
Don’t tell her I said it, ok?
She is one in a million, that girl.
I bet she’s never had crusty bread dough stuck to the bum of her pants. Let’s make these bars, shall we?
I bet she’s never had crusty bread dough stuck to the bum of her pants. Let’s make these bars, shall we?
1. Pour the melted butter
sugar…
and molasses into your stand mixer, or large mixing bowl. Beat until well combined.
2. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl toss together all of the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the mixer and beat, just until combined.
5. Spray a 9×9 pan with cooking spray and press the dough into it.
6. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, do not over bake. Stick a knife into the center of the bars. If it comes out clean…remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely. The bars will continue to cook a bit as they cool. Once frosted the bars will be put in the fridge for an hour…this will also help the bars to set up and not be too doughy.
7. Mix all frosting ingredients together in your stand mixer. Beat until nice and smooth.
8. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled bars. Refrigerate for one hour, cut and serve!
Store leftover bars in the fridge, or freezer.
Store leftover bars in the fridge, or freezer.
Enjoy!!!
Ingredients
- Chewy Gingerbread Bars
- Time: 15 minutes hands on + 10-12 minutes baking
- Yield: One 9x9 pan full, cut as small or as large as you like
- Recipe from the lovely and talented Jen Willahan
- PRINT RECIPE
- PRINT RECIPE WITH PICTURE
- Gingerbread Bars:
- 3/4 C butter, melted
- 1 C sugar
- 1/4 C molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 C flour
- 2 t baking soda
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 t ginger
- 1/2 t cloves
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (half a brick), softened
- 2 T butter, softened
- 2 C powdered sugar
- 1 T milk
- 1/2 t vanilla
- dash salt
Instructions
1. Pour the melted butter, sugar and molasses into your stand mixer, or large mixing bowl. Beat until well combined.
2. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl toss together all of the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the mixer and beat, just until combined.
5. Spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray and press the dough into it.
6. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, do not over bake. Stick a knife into the center of the bars. If it comes out clean...remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely. The bars will continue to cook a bit as they cool. Once frosted the bars will be put in the fridge for an hour...this will also help the bars to set up and not be too doughy.
7. Mix all frosting ingredients together in your stand mixer. Beat until nice and smooth.
8. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled bars. Refrigerate for one hour, cut and serve!
Store leftover bars in the fridge, or freezer.
Store leftover bars in the fridge, or freezer.
Enjoy!!!
Notes
***Note: If you would like to double this recipe, use a large jelly roll pan (I used a 11 1/2 by 16 inch pan while experimenting) and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Allow the bars to cool, then frost and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Recipe from my sweet sister Jen Derrick
OMG, the frosting the cake…must make!
This looks delicious! Can't wait to try them! I love your Christmas plate too!
These bars look amazing. Why do you make so many yummy goods?! I just made one of your cookies yesterday and absolutely love them. I plan to leave a quick review on that cookie post later. Thanks!
Can you double this and put it in a 9X13?
Franklin Fam,
Yes you can double it and use a 9×13. Good luck!
~Jamie
Jamie, Christina made your cranberry cream cheese dip and I went to her house to try it and its AMAZING!! You are amazing with all you do for your fun blog!!! I am going to have to try this amazing gingerbread bars since it is jen's recipe!! I love how happy you are! You make me happy!
Love, brianne
The recipe looked so yummy that I tried it today. I baked it for 12 minutes. After it cooled, it was very sunken in the middle and I discovered it was seriously underbaked (and this is coming from someone who likes chewy bar cookies). Just curious, did anyone else need to bake it longer? 12 minutes doesn't seem very long to bake a 9×9 inch pan. Thanks! Love your blog.
I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9X 13. After 15 minutes the middle was still liquid. I lowered the temperature to 350 (didn't want the edges burned) and kept checking the bars. Mine needed a total of 45 minutes cooking time to be done in the middle. Did anyone else try it in a 9X13? They smell divine!
It is recommended that you use an 11 x 16 , approximately, like a cookie sheet or a jelly roll pan. Using that smaller pan makes the squares too thick. Try again with the larger size pan. Easy peasey.!
Besides, this gives you more squares!
Yes, Laura, I m having the same problem. I have forgotten how may times I have put back in the oven for “another five minutes.” I can't even get the middle to set up at all. It's just staying gooey in the middle. : (
These look so yummy! And I totally agree with you about Jen! She's amazing–I LOVE her! She's the one that got me following your yumminess in the first place. And I made your snickerdoodle bundt cake this weekend. It is divine!