Description
Festive gingerbread bars meld classic holiday warmth with rich, spiced flavors from classic European baking traditions. Molasses and warm spices create a delightful treat that welcomes winter’s comforting embrace for people who savor seasonal desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) sugar
- ¾ cup (170 g / 6 oz) butter, melted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp cloves
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsps butter, softened
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
- Dash of salt
Instructions
- Liquid Base Fusion: Whisk melted butter, sugar, and molasses into a smooth, glossy emulsion, ensuring complete integration of ingredients.
- Egg Incorporation: Blend egg into the liquid mixture, creating a uniform, glistening consistency that sets the foundation for the gingerbread bars.
- Dry Ingredient Preparation: Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt together, eliminating potential lumps and ensuring even spice distribution.
- Batter Assembly: Delicately fold dry ingredients into the liquid mixture, using minimal strokes to maintain the batter’s tender structure and prevent toughness.
- Oven Preparation: Heat oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper or cooking spray, creating an optimal baking environment.
- Baking Process: Spread batter evenly across the prepared pan, then bake for 15-20 minutes until a knife inserted near the center emerges clean, indicating perfect doneness.
- Cooling and Frosting Preparation: Allow bars to cool completely in the pan while simultaneously whipping cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt into a silky, luxurious frosting.
- Finishing Touch: Once bars reach room temperature, generously spread cream cheese frosting across the surface, creating a smooth, even layer.
- Final Refinement: Refrigerate the frosted bars for one hour to set the topping and intensify flavors, then slice into precise, elegant squares for serving.
Notes
- Measure Precisely: Accuracy matters in baking, especially with spices and flour, so use level measuring cups and spoons to ensure perfect texture.
- Avoid Overmixing: Gentle folding prevents tough bars, maintaining a tender and soft crumb by mixing just until ingredients are combined.
- Temperature Control: Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, helping create a consistent and well-incorporated gingerbread batter.
- Cool Completely: Letting bars cool entirely before frosting prevents melting and ensures a clean, professional-looking finish with stable cream cheese topping.
- Prep Time: 10min
- Cook Time: 20min
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 17
- Calories: 246
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 137 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg