Easy Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Easy Gingerbread Cookie Bars transform classic gingerbread flavors into soft, chewy sheet-pan bars topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. Rich molasses and warm spices create cozy holiday flavor without rolling or cutting dough, making these bars perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, and make-ahead holiday desserts.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
**Cookie Bar Base**
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
**Cream Cheese Frosting**
6 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Holiday sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
**Prepare Oven and Pan**
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch rimmed baking pan and set aside.
**Mix Dry Ingredients**
Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
**Mix Wet Ingredients**
Beat melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and molasses until well combined.
**Add Egg**
Mix in egg until smooth.
**Combine Batter**
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
**Bake**
Spread dough evenly in prepared pan. Bake 15–20 minutes until edges are set and center has moist crumbs.
**Cool Completely**
Allow bars to cool fully in the pan before frosting.
**Make Frosting**
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
**Frost and Serve**
Spread frosting over cooled bars, add sprinkles if desired, and cut into 24 squares.
Notes
• Use regular molasses, not blackstrap.
• Do not overbake—bars should look slightly underdone when removed.
• Cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
• Store frosted bars refrigerated up to 5 days.
• Unfrosted bars freeze well for up to 3 months.
Find it online: https://pinchofwarmthbakes.com/gingerbread-cookie-bars/