Soft Gingerbread Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
By Emma Collins
Prep
20 min
Cook
18 min
Total
38 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
For holiday trays and casual dessert tables, these soft gingerbread cookie bars feed a crowd from one 9 × 13-inch pan. Rich unsulphured molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves make a tender, warmly spiced base, finished with cool, smooth cream cheese icing and optional holiday sprinkles.
The base starts with cooled melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar beaten until lighter, then mixed with molasses and a room-temperature egg. Flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and cloves are whisked separately so the spices are evenly distributed. Freshly grated ginger is optional for a sharper ginger note, while regular unsulphured molasses gives the bars their characteristic dark color without blackstrap bitterness.
The dough will be thick, so press and spread it firmly into the prepared pan, taking care to fill the corners. At 16 to 18 minutes, the edges should look set and lightly firm while the center still has a little give. Do not wait for the whole surface to feel firm; the bars continue setting as they cool, and overbaking is the main reason they turn dry or firm.
Cool the cookie layer completely before spreading on the icing, since leftover warmth can soften it and make an even layer difficult. Cut smaller squares for cookie exchanges or dessert platters, and serve with coffee, hot chocolate, or milk. Refrigerate frosted leftovers in an airtight container, using parchment between stacked layers.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Holiday hosts can bake one full pan for cookie trays or parties, avoiding the rolling, cutting, and decorating required for individual gingerbread cookies.
- Families get familiar cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and molasses in a soft bar format, with cool cream cheese icing balancing the deeper spice notes.
- The 9 × 13-inch pan makes neat, easy-to-share squares, so guests can sample them alongside other sweets on a dessert platter.
- Make-ahead planning is straightforward because the gingerbread base can be baked a day ahead, cooled completely, and iced closer to serving.
- Picky eaters can skip the optional fresh ginger or holiday sprinkles while keeping the traditional ground-spice flavor and smooth cream cheese topping.
- Leftover bars stay convenient in an airtight container, and parchment between stacked pieces helps keep the icing from sticking excessively.
Ingredients
- •0.75 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
- •1 tsp ground ginger
- •1 large egg (brought to room temperature)
- •0.5 cup unsalted butter (melted and allowed to cool to room temperature)
- •1 tbsp ground cinnamon (preferably freshly ground)
- •0.33 cup unsulphured molasses (avoid blackstrap molasses)
- •2 cups all-purpose flour
- •0.5 tsp fine salt
- •0.25 cup granulated white sugar
- •0.5 tsp ground cloves
- •1.5 tsp baking soda
- •1 tsp freshly grated ginger (optional, for a more pronounced fresh-ginger bite)
- •1 tsp vanilla extract
- •1.5 cups powdered sugar (sifted to eliminate lumps)
- •0.25 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- •1 cup full-fat block-style cream cheese (softened; do not use whipped cream cheese)
- •holiday sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or coat it lightly with grease.
- 2
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and cloves thoroughly in a medium mixing bowl.
- 3
Place the cooled melted butter in a stand mixer bowl or a large bowl for a hand mixer. Add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- 4
Beat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture appears paler, lighter, and fluffier.
- 5
With the mixer running, add the unsulphured molasses, room-temperature egg, and optional freshly grated ginger.
- 6
Continue beating until uniform, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- 7
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed only until incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
- 8
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press and spread it into an even layer, using an offset spatula or the back of a measuring cup if needed.
- 9
Bake for 16–18 minutes, until the outer edges are set and lightly firm while the center retains a small amount of softness.
- 10
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the gingerbread layer to cool completely.
- 11
Beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter until completely smooth.
- 12
Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla, then beat until the icing is light and creamy.
- 13
Spread the icing over the fully cooled cookie layer. Add holiday sprinkles, if desired, before slicing.
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