These soft gingerbread bars have all the warm, cozy flavor of classic gingerbread without rolling dough or cutting a single cookie. Brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger and cloves give them that unmistakable Christmas flavor while keeping the centers soft and chewy.
They’re delicious on their own, but a layer of cream cheese frosting makes them extra special for Christmas dessert trays and holiday parties. A little sprinkle of cinnamon or festive sprinkles on top is all they need.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 22–26 minutes
Yield: 16 bars
Ingredients
Gingerbread Bars
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional Topping
- 1–2 tablespoons red and green Christmas sprinkles
- Light dusting of ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang for easy removal.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the molasses, egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 22–26 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt until creamy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Top with Christmas sprinkles and a light dusting of cinnamon, if desired. Chill briefly before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Good to Know
Don’t overbake these. Pull them from the oven when the center is set but still soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool and stay much chewier that way.
For a Christmas finish, add a light dusting of cinnamon, festive sprinkles or tiny gingerbread-man sprinkles over the frosting.
Estimated Nutrition (Per Frosted Bar)
Calories: ~245
Protein: ~2 g
Net Carbs: ~35 g
Fat: ~11 g
Fiber: ~1 g
