Gingerbread Cookie Bars
If you are looking for a treat for the twelve days of Christmas, these gingerbread cookie bars should be on your list. The cookie bars are soft and chewy and have delicious gingerbread flavor and iced in a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. You will fall in love with this easy holiday dessert.
Ingredients for Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon + ginger + cloves – This combination of warm spices gives the cookie bars a classic gingerbread flavor.
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – Melted
- Brown sugar + granulated sugar
- Molasses – Molasses adds flavor and chewiness to the bars.
- Egg – Large egg, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds even more flavor to the bars.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Cream cheese – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds great vanilla flavor to the icing.
- Salt – A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness.
Additional Ingredients
- Holiday sprinkle blend – Use your favorite festive and colorful sprinkles.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper sheets.
- Make the gingerbread cookie dough: Whisk together all the dry ingredients and set aside. Mix the melted unsalted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Bake the gingerbread cookie bars: Press the gingerbread cookie dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake the cookie bars for about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature before frosting.
- Make the cream cheese frosting: Cream the unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip the frosting for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Frost and decorate the gingerbread bars: Spread or pipe a thick layer of the cream cheese frosting onto the bars. Decorate the bars with festive Christmas sprinkles.
Recipe Tips
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper to easily remove the bars from the pan. Be sure that the paper extends past the edges of the pan so you can simply lift up on the parchment paper to remove the bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the bars?
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. These bars can be served chilled or at room temperature.
How many bars does this recipe make?
- For the gingerbread cookie bars pictured, I cut the bars into 12 which made about 3×3 inch pieces. You could cut the bars smaller and have a greater yield, especially if you are adding them to a cookie tray.
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Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Yield: 12 bars
If you are looking for a treat for the twelve days of Christmas, these gingerbread cookie bars should be on your list. The cookie bars are soft and chewy and have delicious gingerbread flavor and iced in a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. You will fall in love with this easy holiday dessert.
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp (1 tsp) baking soda
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) ground ginger
- ¼ tsp (0.2 tsp) ground cloves
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (112 g) molasses
- 1 (1) large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
Additional Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (30 g) Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, mix the melted unsalted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until a soft dough forms. Press the gingerbread cookie dough into the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake the gingerbread cookie bars for about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip the frosting for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Frosting the Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled gingerbread cookie bars. Decorate the bars with colorful holiday sprinkles.
Notes
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Thank you for the recipe just wondering can u bake the bars earlier and just wait to frost them thank u in advance
Hi Cindy! I would recommend frosting the bars after they cool and then chilling them. The frosting actually helps seal in some of the moisture of the cookie bars so they don’t dry out as easily.
I made these for a Christmas gathering. They were a hit!
So glad to hear, Sue! Thank you so much for trying the recipe!