These easy homemade gingerbread bars are like Christmas on a plate! Dense and chewy, sweet but not too sweet, with just the perfect amount of spice. Yum!

I’m not quite sure how to explain how utterly delicious these ridiculously easy gingerbread bars really are. They are like heaven–or Christmas–on a plate! Dense and chewy, sweet but not too sweet, with just the perfect amount of spice. Seriously. Try them. Today. You won’t regret it.

As an aside, the crystallized ginger sprinkled on top is a nice touch, but totally optional. I found mine here.

Easy Homemade Gingerbread Bars

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Here is what you need:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 batch Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing (optional)
candied ginger, chopped (optional)

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Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease pan and set aside. (Use a 9×13″ for thin bars or 8×8″ for thicker bars)

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Step 2: Beat together sugars, butter, and molasses until well blended, about 30 seconds.

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Step 3: Add egg and vanilla; beat until mixed.

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Step 4: Add flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix until just blended.

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Step 5: Spread batter into prepared pan; bake approximately 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees (less time for thin bars, more time for thicker bars), or until knife inserted in center comes out clean; let cool.

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Step 6: OPTIONAL:  Frost with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing and, if desired, sprinkle with chopped candied ginger.

Print

Easy Gingerbread Bars

This super easy bar recipe has all the flavors of the holiday season!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 batch Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing (optional)
  • candied ginger, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease 9x13" pan and set aside.

  2. Beat together sugars, butter, and molasses until well blended, about 30 seconds.

  3. Add egg and vanilla; beat until mixed.

  4. Add flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix until just blended.

  5. Spread batter into prepared pan; bake approximately 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean; let cool.

  6. OPTIONAL: Frost with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing.

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Ruth Soukup

Ruth Soukup

Founder at Living Well Spending Less
Ruth Soukup is dedicated to helping people everywhere create a life they love by follwing their dreams and achieving their biggest goals. She is the host of the wildly popular Do It Scared podcast, as well as the founder of Living Well Spending Less® and Elite Blog Academy®. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Do It Scared®: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Obstacles, and Create a Life You Love, which was the inspiration for this book. She lives in Florida with her husband Chuck, and 2 daughters Maggie & Annie.
Ruth Soukup

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