Crunchy Creamy Sweet

menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About Me
  • Contact
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About Me
  • Contact
×
You are here: Crunchy Creamy Sweet / Recipes / Dessert

Gingerbread Bars

Published: Nov 30, 2019 · Modified: Nov 19, 2020 by Anna 18 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Jump to Recipe Print Pin Recipe Comment

These Gingerbread Bars are chewy, perfectly spiced cookie bars topped vanilla cream cheese frosting and festive sprinkles. Easy and delicious Christmas dessert for the whole family!

I make these bars every year, along with my Rolo Pretzel Bites and Oreo Fudge. They are so easy and very festive!

Gingerbread Bars with frosting stacked on white plate.
Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients:
  • How to make Gingerbread Bars?
  • Storing:
  • Freezing:
  • More holiday desserts:
  • Gingerbread Bars

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Aside from classic cookies and our favorite candies and fudge, cookie bars are a must for Christmas parties and get-togethers. They are a great alternative if you need a treat fast or if you are not feeling like making individual gingerbread men or drop cookies. These Gingerbread Bars are perfectly spices and chewy. I top them with sweet vanilla cream cheese frosting and of course, green and red sprinkles!

Ingredients:

  • unsalted butter
  • granulated sugar
  • molasses
  • large egg
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda
  • ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger
  • salt
  • cream cheese
  • vanilla extract
  • powdered sugar

How to make Gingerbread Bars?

  • Cream butter and sugar, add egg, vanilla and molasses and mix in well.
  • Add whisked dry ingredients and stir in until the dough is thick and sticky and all flour is incorporated.
  • Spread the mixture in 13" x 9" pan, lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The bars will puff up during baking and deflate while cooling.
  • Next, whip up the cream cheese frosting, spread over cooled bars and dress up the treat with red, white and green sprinkles or mini gingerbread man candy.

Would you like to save this recipe?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Stack of gingerbread bars with frosting.

Storing:

Since they are made with molasses and topped with cream cheese frosting, I recommend storing these bars in a container with lid, in the fridge. Before serving, let them come to room temperature.

Freezing:

Yes! Bake the cookie bars, cool completely and do not add frosting. Wrap in saran wrap and place in a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Frost and decorate before serving.

More holiday desserts:

  • Peanut butter cookies with kisses candy on a plate.
    Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
  • Fudge with sprinkles on a plate.
    Christmas Fudge
  • Squares of Reese's peanut butter cups fudge on a white plate.
    Reese's Fudge
  • Caramels on a wax paper.
    Easy Microwave Caramels

If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!

Gingerbread Bars with frosting stacked on white plate.

Gingerbread Bars

Author: Anna
These Gingerbread Bars are chewy, perfectly spiced cookie bars topped vanilla cream cheese frosting and festive sprinkles. Easy and delicious Christmas dessert for the whole family!
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 18 minutes mins
Total Time 28 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 771 kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 
 

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature 12 tablespoons
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses I used Grandma's molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt

for the frosting:

  • 6 tablespoons cream cheese soft
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter soft
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds with electric mixer. Add sugar and beat for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  • Add egg and molasses and beat on medium low speed just until combined.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Gradually add to the sugar molasses mixture and beat on low until combined.
  • Spread cookie dough in prepared pan. Spread evenly.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the top appears dry. The bars will puff up during baking and deflate while cooling.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting:

  • In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix well. It should be fluffy and thick.
  • Spread frosting over cooled bars. Dress up with festive sprinkles. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

  1. Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.

Nutrition

Calories: 771kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 73g | Vitamin A: 1175IU | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2.8mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment with rating below!

This recipe was originally published on December 9th, 2017 and updated on November 30th, 2019.

More Dessert Recipes

  • Square photo of a slice of lemon cake on a dessert plate with fork.
    Easy Lemon Cake
  • Square image of a serving of eggless chocolate cake with frosting on a white marble plate.
    Eggless Chocolate Cake
  • Square photo of a cake with peach slices and dusting of powdered sugar.
    Easy Peach Cake
  • Mango popsicles on ice.
    Mango Pineapple Popsicles

Comments

    5 from 8 votes

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Steve says

    December 01, 2022 at 8:31 pm

    The ingredients for icing has butter listed, but there's no instruction for adding butter. Is that a mistake?

    Reply
    • Anna says

      December 01, 2022 at 9:27 pm

      Hi Steve! The recipe is fixed now. Hope this helps!

      Reply
      • Steve says

        December 10, 2022 at 11:37 am

        5 stars
        Thanks! I did make the frosting with cream cheese only and it was still delicious. I won "Best Tasting" at my cookie exchange!

      • Anna says

        December 19, 2022 at 9:46 pm

        Congratulations, Steve! That's fantastic!

  2. Bliss says

    December 07, 2019 at 3:28 pm

    5 stars
    I just made these , and if you are a gingerbread lover they are excellent, especially the texture.

    Reply
  3. Courtney O'Dell says

    November 05, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    5 stars
    These cookie bars are like a little slice of heaven! So good!

    Reply
  4. Lori Lange says

    November 05, 2018 at 1:41 pm

    5 stars
    These are the cutest- a must make for the holidays!!

    Reply
  5. Sandy C says

    November 05, 2018 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    These cookie bars are fantastic and they freeze well, too. Thank you!

    Reply
  6. Jocelyn says

    November 05, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    5 stars
    These are the perfect alternative to having to roll out gingerbread dough! They look so chewy and delicious!

    Reply
  7. Sabrina says

    November 05, 2018 at 11:56 am

    5 stars
    These look so perfect! I know I'll be making them all season long!

    Reply
  8. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

    December 13, 2017 at 12:20 am

    Oooh, I love the look and sound of these, the texture looks so perfectly chewy and delicious!

    Reply
  9. Jacque Hastert says

    December 12, 2017 at 4:12 pm

    5 stars
    These would not last long around me. Simply delicious!

    Reply
  10. Abeer says

    December 12, 2017 at 11:32 am

    Totally drooling over these! Yummy!

    Reply
  11. Catalina says

    December 12, 2017 at 11:20 am

    We will make these gingerbread bars for Christmas!

    Reply
  12. Katerina @ diethood .com says

    December 12, 2017 at 6:31 am

    YUM!!! I LOVE these!! They look incredible!!

    Reply
  13. Paula - bell'alimento says

    December 11, 2017 at 10:31 pm

    I love all things gingerbread!

    Reply
  14. Dee says

    December 11, 2017 at 6:55 pm

    I could go through so many of these. They look amazing!

    Reply
  15. Terri w says

    December 10, 2017 at 2:27 pm

    Since they have cream cheese on top do they need to be stored in the fridge.?

    Reply
Profile photo of the author of Crunchy Creamy Sweet website.

Hi! I'm Anna!

Thank you for stopping by! Here you will find easy and delicious recipes for busy people. My recipes are made with everyday ingredients and all of them are family-approved!

read more...

Easy Dinners

  • Square image of chicken in teriyaki sauce, rice and broccoli in a white bowl.
    Quick Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls Recipe
  • Asian chicken on rice.
    Easy Sesame Chicken Recipe
  • Square image of creamy garlic chicken in a skillet.
    Creamy Garlic Chicken
  • Lemon garlic chicken in a skillet.
    Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
  • Chicken in mushroom garlic sauce in pan.
    Creamy Mushroom Garlic Chicken
  • Beef noodle casserole in a baking dish.
    Cheesy Beef Noodle Casserole

Popular Recipes

  • Cooked shrimp on a white plate.
    Air Fryer Shrimp
  • Square image of four Russet potatoes on a rack in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.
    Instant Pot Baked Potatoes Recipe
  • Noodles with peanut sauce and green onions in a white bowl with chopsticks.
    Thai Peanut Noodles Recipe
  • Square image of chicken nuggets with parsley on a white plate.
    Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Recipe
  • Pasta salad with tomatoes and bacon in a glass serving bowl.
    BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
  • Square image of KFC coleslaw in a white bowl with red plaid napkin.
    KFC Coleslaw Copycat Recipe

Featured in

Logos of publications like yahoo, Parade magazine, MSN.

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Crunchy Creamy Sweet All rights reserved.

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.