Gingerbread Bars Recipe

A close up view of gingerbread bars topped with candied ginger on a platter.

This must-try gingerbread bars recipe topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting is a hit every single time! It's a make-ahead and freezer-friendly holiday recipe.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings to 24 servings

Calories 366kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

9x13-inch pan
Parchment paper
Stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer

Ingredients

For the Bars:

3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup packed light brown sugar (220g)
1 cup unsalted butter melted (226g)
⅔ cup granulated sugar (133g)
⅓ cup unsulphured molasses (80mL)
2 large eggs room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese room temperature (170g)
¼ cup unsalted butter softened (56g)
3 cups powdered sugar (360g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Chopped, candied ginger or sprinkles to garnish

Instructions

For the Gingerbread Bars:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the brown sugar, melted butter, granulated sugar, and molasses until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk together until the mixture is thick and well combined.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir with a spatula until combined.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake for about 30 to 32 minutes or the top is set, the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.

For the Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for about 1 minute until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed just until combined. Then, increase to medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and creamy.
Spread over top of the cooled gingerbread bars. Garnish with slices of candied ginger or sprinkles if you like.

Notes

Weigh the flour. Using too much flour will lead to dry gingerbread bars. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a kitchen scale. If you don't have one, fluff the flour in its container and spoon it into your measuring cup.
Use room temperature ingredients. Set the butter and cream cheese for the frosting and the eggs out about an hour or so before you start baking. Room-temperature ingredients are easier to blend with other ingredients. If you forget to set out the butter, see my post on how to soften butter quickly (this trick works for cream cheese, too).
Use brick-style cream cheese for the frosting, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub.
If the frosting is too thick when mixed together, you can add up to 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream to thin it out a bit. I recommend adding just 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches a thick yet spreadable consistency.

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