Are you looking for a delicious and easy gingerbread cookie bar recipe that will impress your friends and family? These Gingerbread Cookie Bars are the perfect Christmas cookie. They are soft, chewy, and packed with all your favorite holiday flavors.
If you're a fan of gingerbread and love the convenience of bar cookies, then you're in for a treat. I'm excited to share with you my favorite gingerbread cookie bar recipe that is simple to make and delivers on flavor and texture. I will walk you through a step-by-step guide to creating these spiced treats that are sure to become a new favorite in your baking repertoire.
If you love gingerbread recipes, be sure to try our Gingerbread Muffins, Gingerbread Men and of course, our favorite White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps.
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Best Gingerbread Bar Cookies
If you love all the sweet and spicy flavors of gingerbread, gingersnap cookies, or molasses cookies, you are going to love this simple recipe for Gingerbread Cookie Bars. These cute little Christmas cookie bars are all you need - they're soft and chewy and slathered in a delicious cream cheese frosting.
Cookie bars are so much easier than making a bunch of individual Gingerbread Men. The recipe can be mixed up in only a few minutes and from there, baking is a cinch. These are always on my holiday baking list, perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any 'ol time of the year!
Gingerbread Cookie Bars Video Tutorial
Gingerbread Bar Ingredients
- Sugar - you will need white granulated sugar to cream with the butter.
- Butter - make sure your butter is softened either by pulling out to room temperature ahead of time or gently microwaving for about 10 seconds at a time.
- Molasses - this helps give that characteristic gingerbread flavor.
- Eggs - any eggs will work great.
- Flour - you will need all-purpose flour for these cookies.
- Spices - I use a combination of ginger powder and cinnamon. You can feel free to adjust however you would like.
- Baking Soda - this helps keep the cookie bars super soft and chewy.
- Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese - this will need to be softened in the same way you would with butter. Either pull it out ahead of time or slowly microwave for about 10 seconds at a time.
- Butter - the butter will also need to be soft before mixing.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract has the best flavor.
- Powdered Sugar - this adds sweetness without any grittiness.
- Milk - whole milk is great, but you can substitute 2%.
How To Make Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Make the cookie dough. Add the room-temperature butter, sugar, and cream using the paddle attachment for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy in the bowl of a stand mixer. Gradually add the eggs in, add the molasses, and mix until combined. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt in a separate large bowl. Add the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix just until combined. Check the bottom of the bowl and scrap as needed to make sure that everything has mixed completely.
- Press into a baking sheet. Press the dough into a lightly greased 26 x 18" baking sheet as evenly as possible.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are set, and there is a hint of golden brown color.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack while you make the frosting.
- Make the cream cheese frosting. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Be sure to beat until light and fluffy. Add 5 cups of Powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. Slowly add in 1-2 Tablespoons of milk until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cookie bars and add sprinkles if desired. Cut into bars or squares. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations for Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- White Chocolate Drizzle Gingerbread Bars: Melt white chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled gingerbread bars. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes or chopped nuts for a festive touch.
- Caramel Pecan Gingerbread Bars: Swirl caramel sauce into the gingerbread batter before baking. Top with chopped pecans and a drizzle of additional caramel after baking.
- Maple Glazed Gingerbread Bars: Make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and pure maple syrup. Drizzle the maple glaze over the bars for a sweet and rich flavor.
- Chai-Spiced Gingerbread Bars: Add a chai spice blend (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger) to the batter for a warm and aromatic flavor. Dust the top with powdered sugar or a chai spice mix.
- Cranberry Walnut Gingerbread Bars: Fold dried cranberries and chopped walnuts into the gingerbread batter. Sprinkle extra cranberries and walnuts on top before baking.
- Espresso Gingerbread Bars: Mix instant espresso powder into the gingerbread batter for a rich coffee undertone. Top with a coffee-flavored glaze or dust with cocoa powder.
- Coconut Gingerbread Bars: Add shredded coconut to the gingerbread batter for a tropical twist. Top with a coconut glaze or sprinkle with toasted coconut.
- Pumpkin Swirl Gingerbread Bars: Create a pumpkin swirl by layering a spiced pumpkin mixture between layers of gingerbread batter. Swirl the layers together for a festive and flavorful result.
Storing and Freezing
- Refrigerator: If you want to store baked cookie bars, just place them in a container with a lid or a ziplock bag and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer- If you haven’t tried this method, you’re missing out. Cookie bars freeze really well and are so fun to grab out of the freezer and enjoy. Let them thaw for a few minutes, and you’ll have an extra chewy cookie bar to enjoy. Cookies can remain in the freezer, in an airtight container, or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Thaw- If you want to make them ahead of time, you can bake them in the cookie sheet, cover them in a double layer of plastic wrap, and pull them out of the freezer a couple of hours before you need them. If you're using frosting, it's best to frost the cookie bars when they are frozen after you pull them out of the freezer.
Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1 ½ cups Butter at room temperature
- ½ cup Molasses
- 2 large Eggs
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger Powder
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoons Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup Butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 5 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a 26" by 18" Cookie sheet
- In an electric mixer, combine sugar and butter and beat until the butter and sugar is fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time stirring until incorporated. Add then add the molasses and mix again.
- Combine the dry ingredients, flour, ginger powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Spread the gingerbread cookie dough onto a large greased cookie sheet, 26" by 18". Try to get the cookie dough even in all areas of the cookie sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.
- Take the cookie bars out of the oven and let them cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Be sure to beat until light and fluffy. Add 5 cups of Powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. Slowly add in 1-2 Tablespoons of milk until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cookie bars. Add sprinkles if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Cookie Bar Recipes
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- Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars
- Cadbury Cookie Bars
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These Gingerbread Cookie Bars are incredible! They are the perfect Christmas cookie. They are packed with all your favorite holiday flavors. These cookie bars are soft and chewy. Your family is going to love them!
Deb
Made these for Thanksgiving they are delicious