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 that classic gingerbread flavor.
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – Melted
- Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar – For additional sweetness.
- 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.
- Holiday sprinkle blend – Use your favorite festive and colorful sprinkles.
Tools & Supplies for Making Gingerbread Cookie Bars
How to Make Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper.
- 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 together 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.
- Frost and decorate the gingerbread bars: Spread or pipe a thick layer of the cream cheese frosting onto the bars. Add festive Christmas sprinkles, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Line the 9×13 pan with parchment paper to easily remove the bars from the pan. The parchment paper should extend up the sides of the pan so you can simply lift up on the parchment paper to lift the bars out.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. These bars can be served chilled or at room temperature.
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Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 baking pan
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- â…“ cup molasses
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
Additional Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 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 together the unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.Â
- 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, if desired.
Notes
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Comments & Reviews
Sue says
I made these for a Christmas gathering. They were a hit!
Courtney says
So glad to hear, Sue! Thank you so much for trying the recipe!