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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
- 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.ย
2. Add the egg and beat until smooth.ย
3. In a separate bowl toss together all of the dry ingredients.ย
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the mixer and beat, just until combined.ย
5. Spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray and press the dough into it.ย
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.ย
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.ย
Store leftover bars in the fridge, or freezer.ย
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
These are delicious! Do you know the calorie count per serving?
thought the bars themselves were good but the frosting made the too sweet, will not ice them next time
I have made this twice now and it does not bake uniformly flat, the outside edge rises higher than the center, can that be resolved?
Jeffrey
My familyโs favorite Christmas cookie. They freeze great & personally think they are better after being frozen. Always double recipe but as it โspreadsโ, always leave @3โ from edge of jelly roll pan.
Melinda,
Thank you for this great tip and I’m so happy to hear your family enjoys these great cookie bars. We do, too.
All my best,
~Jamie
I have made this recipe so many times! It is our favorite!! Thank you ๐
I love how you describe your wonderful sister! Do these bars end up more like a quick bread or a brownie? I’d prefer the latter and would appreciate any tips you can offer to adapt your recipe to achieve that.
Kimberly,
Thanks for your question. They are definitely more of a brownie texture. It’s what makes them so good. You’ll want to be sure to underbake them just a bit and then store them in the fridge once they are cooled and frosted. The texture is amazing.
Best of luck!
~Jamie