Gingerbread Cookie Bars
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These Gingerbread Cookie Bars bring all the classic holiday flavors in a quick and simple recipe. Soft, chewy, and full of warm spices, they’re topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting that complements every bite. With festive sprinkles on top, they’re the perfect dessert for gatherings or cozy nights in!
There’s something timeless about gingerbread during the holiday season, and these Gingerbread Cookie Bars offer all that cozy, spiced flavor in a format that’s as easy as it is festive. No need for rolling out dough or cutting shapes—these bars go from bowl to oven in minutes, making them a great choice for anyone who loves homemade treats without all the fuss. Plus, their soft, chewy texture means they’re crowd-pleasers whether you’re sharing them at a gathering or simply indulging at home.
Ever since I made gingerbread cookies a couple of years ago, I honestly just can’t get enough gingerbread. I’m not sure why it took me 38 years to appreciate this magical holiday flavor, but I’m so glad I finally figured it out.
You’re going to love these cookie bars! With a layer of cream cheese frosting and a scattering of festive sprinkles, this recipe feels just right for a special celebration or a casual after-dinner treat. If you’re a fan of rich molasses and warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, these bars will hit all the right notes. They’re also a perfect make-ahead option, letting you focus on other holiday prep while still delivering a standout dessert. Let’s dive in and make these gingerbread-inspired bites that everyone’s going to ask you for!
And speaking of cookies, I have the ultimate collection of Christmas cookie recipes. Tap through to check out all of my favorite holiday cookies. You’re in for a tasty adventure!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for the Holidays: These bars capture that classic gingerbread flavor with warm spices, making them a festive choice for any gathering. They’re also quick to make, so they’re ideal for last-minute baking!
- Soft, Chewy Texture: The soft and chewy bite of these cookie bars is just right and pairs perfectly with the creamy frosting. Each piece has that satisfying texture, yet it’s incredibly easy to whip up in one batch.
- Festive Finishing Touch: A layer of cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of festive toppings add a touch of holiday cheer. With just a few decorative sprinkles, they’re transformed into a party-ready treat.
- Simple Ingredients, Incredible Flavor: With a few pantry staples and spices, you’ll be surprised by how much rich gingerbread flavor these bars bring to the table. This recipe has all the cozy warmth of classic gingerbread with an added creamy twist.
And with that, I think it’s time to bake up these Gingerbread Cookie Bars!
Ingredients
And here is what you’ll need to baked up these festive cookies bars.
- Flour: Provides the foundation of the bars, giving them structure while keeping them soft and chewy.
- Baking Soda: Helps the bars rise slightly, giving them a light and tender texture.
- Spices (Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg): These bring the rich, warm, and unmistakable taste of gingerbread.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors without making the bars salty.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture, giving the bars a wonderfully soft texture.
- Sugars (Granulated and Brown): Both sugars combine for balanced sweetness; brown sugar adds a touch of caramel-like richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle depth of flavor that enhances the spices.
- Molasses: The star ingredient for traditional gingerbread flavor, molasses gives the bars their distinct taste and rich color.
- Egg: Acts as a binder to keep everything together and adds a slight lift.
- Whole Milk: Adds a touch of moisture, helping the batter come together smoothly.
- Cream Cheese Frosting (Butter, Cream Cheese, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla, Salt): This frosting is tangy and sweet, balancing the spiced cookie bars beautifully. The pinch of salt keeps it from being overly sweet.
- Sprinkles: Everything is better with sprinkles, right? I used these gingerbread people sprinkles and these red, white and green sprinkles.
How to Make
Let’s put together these Gingerbread Cookie Bars. I’ll walk you through the process below. I’ve also provided a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray. You can also line the pan with parchment paper and then coat it with baking spray. This just makes it easier to remove the bars from the pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. I’ve provided a full list of the ingredients and detailed recipe instructions in a printable recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer (hand or stand), beat the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and molasses until light and airy: about 4-5 minutes.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and begin to combine. Add in the milk and start mixing again. Finally, add in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
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- With a spatula, spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese frosting by creaming together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar (one cup at a time), vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Once the bars have cooled completely, frost with the prepared cream cheese frosting, then sprinkle with festive sprinkles. I used these gingerbread people sprinkles and these red, white and green sprinkles.
- Cut into squares and serve. Extras (if there are any) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
And that’s it! I told you these Gingerbread Cookie Bars were easy to make!
As I mentioned above, I think you are going to really love these. They make a delicious stand-alone dessert or a lovely addition to your cookie tray! I hope you enjoy them! Happy Baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these bars ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can bake the bars a day or two before serving. Just store them covered in the fridge and add the frosting on the day you plan to serve.
How can I make these bars even thicker?
For a thicker bar, use a smaller baking pan, like a 9×9 inch pan, but extend the baking time slightly. Keep an eye on them, testing with a toothpick for doneness.
How should I store these bars?
Store the bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. They’re best enjoyed fresh, but they stay delicious chilled or even frozen if you’re planning ahead.
More Gingerbread Recipes You’ll Love
- Classic Gingerbread Cookies
- Christmas Tree Gingerbread Cookies
- Gingerbread House Gingerbread Cake
- Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
- Gingerbread Tree Cake
Once you’ve whipped up these Gingerbread Cookie Bars, you might just find yourself adding them to your holiday baking tradition. They’re that good! Whether you’re enjoying these with a hot cup of coffee or packaging them up as holiday gifts, these bars are an easy way to bring a bit of homemade comfort to the season. If you try this easy recipe, I’d love to hear how it went. Please stop back and leave a comment and a 5-star rating below.
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Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Video
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- sprinkles to garnish
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray. (You can also line the pan with parchment paper and then coat with baking spray.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer (hand or stand), beat the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, molasses, and egg until light and airy: about 4-5 minutes.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and begin to combine. Add in the milk and start mixing again. Finally, add in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
- With a spatula, spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese frosting by creaming together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar (one cup at a time), vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Once the bars have cooled completely, frost with the prepared cream cheese frosting, then sprinkle with festive sprinkles. Cut into squares and serve.
- Extras (if there are any) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
These are good, but the frosting was too loose. I also thought it could use more spice. I will try them again as I love the texture and general flavor overall.
These smell heavenly!
Were they supposed to be baked in a larger pan? They seem more cake-like than cookie-bar-like.
I made these two days too early for a dinner party and we ate the entire first batch so I had to do another! The cream cheese with the gingerbread was so perfect. The cookie crust is chewy and moist. Make sure you spray the parchment or you will have a tough time removing it. I added 1/4 tsp allspice in the cookie dough and four drops of almond extract in the cream cheese. The almond isn’t recognizable but the flavor enhancement is dynamite. PS. I also do four drops almond extract with vanilla extract in my whip cream. Somehow it tastes fresher!
I made this last year for a cookie exchange; everyone loved them. I will be making them again this year
Hi, I made these bars this evening and when I took them out of the oven they sank? Any tips to what I may have done incorrectly? Thank you
I had the same issue. Would love to know why it happened. The part that didn’t sink was delicious though. I added 1/4 teaspoon of all spice based on a previous review.
Made these twice last year and they were DEVOURED almost immediately. This year my plan is to make a few batches and freeze the bars and frosting separately so I can thaw and ice later in the season as I need them.
Do you take the gingerbread out of the pan first or do you frost and cut while it’s still in the pan?
I just took these out the oven about a hour ago. My word! These are so yummy straight out the pan barely cooled off! I am hosting a holiday dinner in the afternoon and can’t wait for my guests and family to enjoy them. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. I will definitely be making them again during this holiday season!
These are absolutely scrumptious! My husband was hovering in the kitchen while I made the frosting and sliced them up, and not, they did not disappoint. They were simple to make. I’ll definitely be making them again this year and for many Christmases to come!
Hello Michael! I just made these gingerbread cookie bars – wow! So good! And that’s before I added the cream cheese frosting. I’m taking these to share at a meeting tomorrow afternoon; they’re sure to be a hit. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Merry Christmas!