Gingerbread Cookie Bars

These Gingerbread Cookie Bars are the perfect Christmas cookie—soft, chewy, and packed with all your favorite holiday flavors. They’re topped with a layer of sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting and finished with festive sprinkles.

I will walk you through a step-by-step guide to creating these spiced treats that are sure to become a new holiday baking favorite. If you love gingerbread recipes, be sure to try our Gingerbread Muffins, Gingerbread Men and of course, our favorite White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps.

Gingerbread Cookies Bars

If you love all the sweet and spicy flavors of gingerbread, gingersnap cookies, or molasses cookies, you are going to love these soft and chewy cookie bars. They’re slathered in a delicious cream cheese frosting and can be decorated however you want.

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

Key Recipe 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. You will need some for the batter and some for the frosting.
• Molasses – this helps give that characteristic gingerbread flavor.
• Eggs – any eggs will work great. They hold the batter together and help give the finished cookie bars a soft and chewy texture.
• 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.
• 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.
• Powdered Sugar – this adds sweetness without any grittiness.
• Milk – whole milk is great, but you can substitute 2%.

How To Make Gingerbread Cookie Bars

1. 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.
2. Press into a baking sheet.  Press the dough into a lightly greased 26 x 18″ baking sheet as evenly as possible.
3. 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.
4. Cool.  Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack while you make the frosting.
5. 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.  
6. 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 to Try

• Melt white chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled gingerbread bars. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes or chopped nuts for a festive touch.
• Swirl caramel sauce into the gingerbread batter before baking. Top with chopped pecans and a drizzle of additional caramel after baking.
• Fold dried cranberries and chopped walnuts into the gingerbread batter. Sprinkle extra cranberries and walnuts on top before baking.
• Mix instant espresso powder into the gingerbread batter for a rich coffee undertone.
• Add shredded coconut to the gingerbread batter, then top with a coconut glaze or sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

• 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.
• To 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. 

 More Cookie Bar Recipes

• Caramel Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
• Coconut Cookie Bars
• White Chocolate and Raspberry Cookie Bars
• Coconut Lime Sugar Cookie Bars
• Orange Dreamsicle Cookie Bars
• Coconut Cookie Bars
• Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars
• Cadbury Cookie Bars
• Christmas Cookie Bars
• Reeses Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
• More Cookies
• More Cookie Bars

These Gingerbread Cookie Bars are incredible! They are the perfect Christmas cookie, packed with all your favorite holiday flavors.