Description
These Spiced Gingerbread Cookie Bars offer a festive twist on classic gingerbread cookies with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Perfectly soft with slightly crispy edges and a hint of molasses richness, these bars are ideal for holiday gatherings or cozy winter treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 egg
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 9”×13” baking pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside for later use.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and molasses. Beat this mixture until creamy and smooth, which will take about 1-2 minutes. Using a stand mixer helps due to the thickness of the batter.
- Add Egg: Incorporate the egg into the wet mixture and stir until fully blended, ensuring a consistent texture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a thick dough forms.
- Spread Dough: Using a silicone spatula or your fingers, spread the thick dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, pressing gently to smooth the surface.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. The bars should have crispy edges while the center remains slightly gooey. Adjust baking time slightly if needed based on your oven’s performance.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Optionally, frost with cream cheese or vanilla frosting and add Christmas sprinkles before cutting into 15 squares for serving.
Notes
- Use a stand mixer if possible, as the batter is thick and can be difficult to mix by hand.
- For frosting, cream cheese or vanilla frosting complements these bars nicely.
- Customize the bars with holiday-themed sprinkles for a festive touch.
- Ensure the bars cool completely before frosting or cutting to maintain shape.
- The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven; watch for crispy edges and a soft center.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
