These gingerbread bars give you everything you love about classic gingerbread cookies... but without the rolling, cutting, or making a huge mess in the kitchen. These bars bake up thick, chewy, warmly spiced, and full of that deep molasses holiday flavor that everyone craves this time of year. I love making these for holiday parties because they're so easy to slice up and share, and they look gorgeous on a dessert platter. Plus, the cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the ginger-molasses flavor without being too overpowering.
Quick Summary
Yield:ย 9 bars (or more, if you cut them smaller)
Total Time:ย 25 minutes
Result:ย Deliciously rich and chewy bars that are bursting with warm ginger and molasses flavors!
You guys. Honestly. These frosted gingerbread bars are everything. I have to stop myself from making these over and over this holiday season, simply because they are indulgent and we just can't keep eating them. But, if you choose to try one holiday recipe from here, this should be it.
Unlike my gingerbread loaf, which was more dense, these gingerbread bars are almost like blonde brownies in texture. They are chewy but soft and moist at the same time. And if you're a fan of gingerbread, you also have to try my no-bake gingerbread truffles!
For decoration, you can stop at the frosting alone or add some festive holiday sprinkles. I opted for these cute mini gingerbread men, which are actually not edible! They're mini ornaments I found at a craft store. How fun is that? Just make sure your guests know to remove them before eating.. LOL. Also, if you wanted to, you could make your own (edible) mini gingerbread men for decoration.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Why These Gingerbread Bars Always Turn Out Soft & Chewy
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make Gingerbread Bars (Step by Step)
- Tips For Cutting Perfect Bars
- Topping Ideas & Flavor Variations
- Make Ahead, Storage, & Freezing
- Troubleshooting Common Gingerbread Bar Issues
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Holiday Recipes To Try
- ๐ Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- If you're a gingerbread lover, then you already know (and should try my gingerbread cheesecake, too). I've included just the right amount of spice in these bars, so it's not overpowering by any means. The deep ginger-molasses flavor just tastes like Christmas!
- These bars are soft, chewy, and perfectly moist. I love the texture and you will too!
- That cream cheese frosting. Trust me when I tell you, this is the perfect frosting to pair with these bars. Somehow all of the flavors just balance each other out perfectly.
- It's honestly such an easy recipe, and perfect for taking to a holiday party or potluck.
- Unlike making gingerbread cookies, there's no rolling or dough-chilling involved.
Why These Gingerbread Bars Always Turn Out Soft & Chewy
The reason these bars stay soft (without turning cakey or dry) comes down to the butter + sugar creaming step. When butter and sugar are beaten together until light and fluffy, tiny air pockets are created. This sets the foundation for bars that bake up tender, stable, and pleasantly chewy while still feeling dense and rich in all the right ways. The molasses then adds moisture and helps lock in that signature gingerbread texture as the bars cool.
And speaking of cooling, that's one of the most important parts. Bars continue to set up in the pan as they cool, so taking them out of the oven when the center is still soft is what ensures they don't dry out.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Flour: To make these bars gluten free, I recommend Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten flour. If you're using a different blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum.
- Ginger
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter
- Brown sugar: You can use either light or dark brown sugar in this recipe.
- Molasses: Be sure to use unsulphured molasses. I like Wholesome Sweeteners or Grandma's brands.
- Greek yogurt: I love using Greek yogurt both as an egg substitute and to add moisture. I typically use either 0% or 2%.
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese: Make sure you are using full-fat blocks of cream cheese, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub.
- Powdered sugar
How To Make Gingerbread Bars (Step by Step)
STEP ONE: Start by adding your flour, spices, baking soda, and salt to a bowl.
STEP TWO: Then, set that aside and use a mixer to cream the softened butter with the brown sugar. I love using brown sugar in this recipe for its deep flavor and added moisture!
STEP THREE: Once the butter and sugar is nice and smooth, add the molasses, Greek yogurt, and vanilla and beat until combined.
STEP FOUR: Stream in your dry ingredients while mixing on low speed.
STEP FIVE: Pour the batter into a square baking pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure you have a little bit of overhang -- it's much easier to pull the whole thing out and slice up into bars later. Bake on 350ยบF for about 15 minutes. Allow your gingerbread squares to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
To make my classic cream cheese frosting, start by beating room temperature cream cheese and butter until it's nice and creamy. Add in your sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until it's all smooth and combined.
Tips For Cutting Perfect Bars
I know cutting perfect brownies and bars can be challenging sometimes, even more so when you're working with frosted bars like these. That's why I always, ALWAYS line my square baking pans with parchment paper AND I try to always have a little bit of overhang.
When the bars are cooled enough to remove from the pan, I will lift the whole thing out with the parchment paper. Then I will spread my frosting on top, chill in the refrigerator for just a little bit so that the frosting sets, and then remove from the refrigerator and slice up into even squares.
I always like to trim around the edges, to remove any imperfections (I still save those scraps and snack on them, though!). When cutting frosted bars, like these, I always stop to wipe down my knife between each slice. Not entirely necessary, but it definitely makes for a neater presentation.
Topping Ideas & Flavor Variations
Plain bars (no frosting)
If you'd rather skip the cream cheese frosting, I promise these bars are just as tasty plain! You could top with a light dusting of powdered sugar or absolutely nothing at all.
Chocolate chip variation
For gingerbread chocolate chip bars, you can mix semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks into the batter before transferring to your pan and baking. I would do no more than โ cup of chocolate chips.
White chocolate drizzle variation
You could also opt for a white chocolate drizzle instead of frosting. Heat up high-quality white chocolate in the microwave (or a double broiler) and use a piping bag to drizzle onto cooled bars.
Holiday decorating ideas
To make these bars even more festive, you could top with holiday sprinkles. Another fun and elevated option would be to top with candied ginger.
Dairy-free option
For dairy free gingerbread bars, you would need to substitute your favorite non-dairy butter, yogurt, and cream cheese. When it comes to the yogurt, I would use yogurt that is similar in texture and fat content to plain Greek yogurt.
Make Ahead, Storage, & Freezing
These bars work great when made ahead! I recommend frosting the day you are going to serve. You can store unfrosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Frosted bars should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The bars also freeze really well! Wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Troubleshooting Common Gingerbread Bar Issues
My bars turned out cakey instead of chewy.
This usually means you inadvertently used too much flour. When measuring, be sure to lightly scoop flour into your measuring cups, then use a knife to level off the excess flour. Also, make sure your butter and sugar is light and fluffy before adding the other ingredients.
The bars came out dry.
This is likely due to over-baking. I always recommend using an oven thermometer, because all ovens are different. Pull the pan out when the edges are set but the center still seems soft. The bars will continue to set while they cool in the hot pan.
The center looks underbaked. Should I put them back in the oven?
No, I wouldn't. Gingerbread bars set as they cool, so I'd rather underbake than over-bake. If you bake until the center looks fully done, the bars will be dry.
They fall apart when I sliced them.
It's important to allow the bars to cool before attempting to cut and serve. If the bars are still warm, they'll fall apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! These bars actually taste even better the next day because the molasses and spices continue to deepen. Store unfrosted bars tightly covered at room temperature until you're ready to serve. Frosted bars should be stored in the refrigerator.
Absolutely. Bake, cool fully, cover the entire pan well, and freeze. Thaw at room temperature, then slice.
You can! A quarter sheet pan will make thinner bars with shorter bake time. Just watch the edges closely.
Did you make my gingerbread bars? Leave me a comment below and tag me on Instagram @justastyblog and #justastastyblog!
More Holiday Recipes To Try
๐ Recipe
Frosted Gingerbread Bars
Ingredients
For the gingerbread bars:
- 1 โ cups (246g) flour*
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยผ teaspoon cinnamon
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ cup (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
- โ cup (134g) brown sugar packed
- ยผ cup (60ml) unsulphured molasses
- ยผ cup (56g) Greek yogurt room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ยฝ cups (180g) powdered sugar sifted
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the gingerbread bars:
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Line a 9" square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.1 โ cups (246g) flour*, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ยฝ teaspoon baking soda, ยผ teaspoon cinnamon, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the brown sugar until smooth. Add the molasses, yogurt, and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.ยฝ cup (113g) unsalted butter, โ cup (134g) brown sugar, ยผ cup (60ml) unsulphured molasses, ยผ cup (56g) Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting and slicing into bars.
To make the cream cheese frosting:
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat to combine.8 ounces cream cheese, 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, 1 ยฝ cups (180g) powdered sugar, ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- To make these gingerbread bars gluten free, I recommend using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour blend.ย
Rose says
How cute are those decorations! Cant wait to make (and eat) these!
Taleen Benson says
Thank you, Rose! Enjoy!
Bonnie says
These sound delicious, do they freeze well?
Taleen Benson says
Yes! Be sure to wrap tightly.