Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe (2024)

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30 minutes mins

25 Comments

5 from 1 vote

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Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe (1)

Ready or not, the holidays are here!
I was talking to my husband over the weekend and we decided that we are going to do our best to “simplify” this year . . . we probably won’t be sending out Christmas cards, our schedules are going to revolve around spending time with family, and our Elf on the Shelf probably won’t be making his grand appearance.

I just really want to keep the focus on our family and the spirit of the season. One thing that won’t be any different is baking in the kitchen . . . some of my best holiday memories revolve around being with my mom and sisters in the kitchen and I want the same thing for my kids!

However, these gingerbread cookie bars definitely simplify the cookie-making process! Instead of having to cut out tons of gingerbread men, you get all the delicious gingerbread flavor in an easy-to-make bar cookie. They are chewy and soft and packed full of holiday flavor. Plus, they are easy enough that your kids can help you make them!

So, if you are looking to simplify your holiday season . . . start here. 🙂

These bars can be topped with a dusting of powdered sugar or our favorite cream cheese frosting!

Related recipe: If you love these Gingerbread Bars, you’ll love our Gingerbread Truffles!

Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe (2)

Serves: 12 people

Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe

5 from 1 vote

These are chewy and soft and packed full of holiday flavor. Plus, they are easy enough that your kids can help you make them!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter melted
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

  • In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and molasses and beat until creamy. Add the egg and stir until completely incorporated. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Press dough into pan (I just used my fingers to press the dough to the edges of the pan).

  • Bake for 15-20 minutes and let cool (don't over cook- I cooked mine for exactly 15 and they turned out perfect).

  • When finished, you can frost them with cream cheese frosting or even cover with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Or, don't top them with anything. They are delicious no matter what you do!

Nutrition

Calories: 245 kcal · Carbohydrates: 41 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 8 g · Saturated Fat: 5 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 34 mg · Sodium: 357 mg · Potassium: 178 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 24 g · Vitamin A: 258 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 38 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Recipe Details

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Join The Discussion

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  1. Jamie Cooks It Up! says:

    So glad you liked these bars, Camille. :) Thanks for the link back. Merry Christmas! ~Jamie

  2. Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent says:

    Love gingerbread, but you are right sometimes it just takes too much time. Definitely saving this recipe :)

  3. Jelli @JellibeanJournals.com says:

    How yummy! I sure wish I could hunt down molasses here in Costa Rica. I just love holiday baking and nothing reminds me more that I'm not in my midwestern hometown than Christmastime cookies with no peppermint chips or gingerbread. Mmm! Pinned this recipe. Thanks, ladies.

  4. Dana says:

    OH HOLY YUM!! Cannot wait to try these! They look absolutely delicious!!

  5. Sandy says:

    These look delicious - and easy! I am going to make a gluten free version - has anyone tried to adapt this recipe yet? I love gingerbread - but afraid cookies will be too crumbly and difficult to work with - this looks like the perfect solution! Thank you!

  6. Tara says:

    Do you think you could double this recipe to make them cookie-sheet size?

  7. Brianne says:

    I was bummed when mine came out way undercooked after baking 20 min. The sides were done but not the inside. This happens when I make brownies also. I blame it on the high altitude in utah. What can I do differently?

  8. Carole says:

    Looks yummy going to take these to Christmas party. Thanx

  9. Rekaya Gibson says:

    I made these on Thursday. They were so good that I'm making more on Sunday. I had to cook them longer than 20 minutes to cook them fully. They still came out perfect, crunchy edges, which I like, and a gooey middle. The spices and molasses had a great balance and made the house smell festive. Thank you.

  10. Cyd says:

    We have only made them in a 9x13, so I don't want to say it will work just fine. But really I don't see why it wouldn't work. Watch them closely and it may require a little more cooking time. Let us know how it all turns out!

  11. Aletha Gardner says:

    I am wanting to make these ahead of time(5 days) for a cookie exchange. i was going to freeze them, do you think that will work and should i frost them before I freeze them, or wait until they thaw to frost?

  12. Sharon Fisher says:

    I just made these and doubled the recipe. I used a jelly roll pan. It's funny that everyone is commenting that they had to cook them longer. I cooked them a little longer, maybe 5 minutes, because I doubled the recipe. They turned out kinda hard. Not just the edges but all of it. Don't know what went wrong. So if you're doubling the recipe, be careful. The cream cheese frosting is yummy, though

  13. Liz says:

    These turned out perfect and delicious!! Will make them time and time again! Do you know if I can make these cutouts instead of bars? They taste amazing and I want to make gingerbread men using this recipe if it will work.

  14. Eva W says:

    I put parchment paper in the pan. Helped them cut so nicely. I baked mine for 20 minutes and they are the consistency of brownies. PERFECT. Will definitely make this recipe again. Yum.

  15. Cyd says:

    Cut outs would be super cute! I think it would work!

  16. Cyd says:

    They will freeze well with the icing on or off.

  17. marianne says:

    Omg... Saw the recipe and had to make them. Thank goodness I froze 3/4 of the pan to take out later this month. To die for!

  18. Jan says:

    Made these last night and they are all gone! These are amazing!..just sayin.

  19. Maureen says:

    I made these bars with the frosting a few times. There is a bakery that is now closed but they had a ginger cookie that my husband loved. These bars remind him of those cookies so he loved these bars a lot.

  20. Christine says:

    “Brown sugar” is listed as an ingredient. Is that dark or light brown sugar?

  21. Cyd Adamson says:

    We usually use light. But either will work just fine.

  22. Cynthia Wilson says:

    I just baked a pan of these as a "trial run" before gifting to three of my favorite nieces and nephew. PERFECTION IN A PAN!! I love the flavor, they cut very nicely (I have LARGE cookie cutters)...This recipe is a keeper for years to come!

  23. Elle B says:

    Glad to see this on here! One of my favorite recipes from your book, along with the Andes Grinch-Mint cookies. I go to your book first around the holidays for a new item to add to my holiday baking every year!

    Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe (3)

  24. Momma Cyd says:

    Hi Elle. Tis the season for holiday baking. We love these Gingerbread cookie bars. We are so happy to hear that you make them as part of your holiday baking.

Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe (4)

About The Author:

Camille Beckstrand

Camille Beckstrand is married to Jared and they have 4 kids. She loves a good true crime podcast, a big plate of cheesy loaded nachos, and going on adventures with her family.

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Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Are gingerbread cookies supposed to be soft or crunchy? ›

First, the texture of the cookie needs to be fairly crispy along the outside with a semi-soft, cake-like inside, and like all "perfect" cut-out cookies, they definitely need to keep their shape when baked. Secondly, they must taste sweet but notably spicy, and have a rich molasses flavour.

Why do my gingerbread cookies fall apart? ›

From doubling up on molasses to using too much flour, there is a lot that can go wrong. Forgetting the molasses resulted in a crumbly cookie that was light in color. Combining all ingredients at once created lumps in the finished product.

Why is my gingerbread cookie dough so dry? ›

If your cookie dough is too dry and crumbly, it might not have enough fat. This is a common problem with recipes that use all-purpose flour. To fix this, you can add more fat to the dough. This can be in the form of butter, shortening, or even olive oil.

What makes gingerbread cookies crack on top? ›

You have a few things that can go wrong: The oven isn't hot enough. (it needs to set the top before the middle's fully risen) Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set)

Why are my gingerbread cookies so hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

What are the three types of gingerbread? ›

The three distinct types of gingerbread are brown gingerbread, wafer-based gingerbread and honey gingerbread.
  • BROWN GINGERBREAD.
  • WAFER GINGERBREAD.
  • HONEY GINGERBREAD.

Why refrigerate gingerbread cookie dough? ›

Chilling it for at least two hours or overnight gives the ingredients a chance to absorb one another, making it a whole lot easier to roll out the dough without it cracking. Follow this tip: Let the dough chill in the refrigerator, well-wrapped, for at least two hours or overnight before rolling it out.

How to harden gingerbread? ›

My suggestion is to put it back into the oven for up to 10 minutes. The temp of the oven should be around 325 degrees.

How do you firm up gingerbread dough? ›

Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours to allow the dough to firm up, and up to three days ahead.

Why is my gingerbread cookie dough so sticky? ›

Too Much Liquid

If there is too much liquid in the dough for the flour to absorb, the result will be a soft and sticky dough.

Do gingerbread cookies harden as they cool? ›

Gingerbread Cookies are done when they are set and begin to brown slightly at the edges. They will harden further as they cool, so avoid overbaking so you don't end up with hard, crunchy gingerbread! Underbake slightly to achieve soft, slightly chewy gingerbread cookies.

What adds moisture to cookie dough? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Why are my cookie bars raw in the middle? ›

Bar cookies baked in insulated baking pans often don't brown well. Try baking bars longer than called for in your recipe. Realize that most published recipes are not developed using insulated pans. Ideally, only bake one baking pan of bar cookies at a time, placing it on a rack in the middle of the oven.

Why molasses in gingerbread? ›

The deep, caramel-like sweetness of molasses pairs perfectly with the warm spices of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, creating the iconic flavor profile of these classic treats. The choice of molasses over other sweeteners adds a depth and complexity that elevates gingerbread to a cherished holiday tradition.

How to stop gingerbread cookies from spreading? ›

Chill and Bring to Room Temperature: Chill the dough for at least two hours or overnight, but make sure to bring it back to room temperature before rolling and cutting. Space Out on Baking Sheet: Leave enough space between each cookie on the baking sheet to prevent them from spreading into each other.

Does gingerbread go hard or soft? ›

Gingerbread biscuits can be hard or soft, so if you want to make decorations, you'll need a recipe that will set hard and be very dry. The drier the biscuit is, the longer the icing will keep its original colour and stay hard. If the biscuits are soft, the icing will start to suck up moisture and colour over time.

Why is my gingerbread crunchy? ›

Keep in mind that the longer the cookies bake, the harder and crunchier they'll be. For soft gingerbread cookies, follow my suggested bake times. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.

Are cookies supposed to be chewy or crunchy? ›

Sugar dissolved in baking forms a syrup as the dough heats up. Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

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