Gingerbread Bars
These wonderfully-spiced gingerbread cookie bars topped with simple glaze are the perfect holiday treat. They're easy to make and have a perfectly moist, fudgy texture that makes them absolutely irresistible.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (, or more as needed)
Directions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides for lifting the bars out of the pan after baking.
- 2
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- 3
In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla, and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- 4
Spread dough evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the top is slightly firm to touch, and a toothpick inserted into centre comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean. Overbaking will make the bars dry. Allow to cool completely in pan.
- 5
To make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth. Add more milk as necessary until you get a thick yet pourable consistency. Drizzle over the bars using a spoon or a piping bag. Allow glaze to set, 15-30 minutes. For easy cutting, you can place it in the fridge for 2 hours until firm. Lift out of the pan and cut into squares. Serve at room temperature.
- 6
Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.