Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting is an amazing Christmas dessert. These chewy, fudgy, spicy bars, topped with cream cheese frosting are so easy to prepare and they look great on a cookie tray.
Christmas season has begun and I´m so happy and excited, since I love this part of year. That´s why I always try to try make something new and share it with you. This time I´ve decided to make Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting, since I´ve noticed there aren´t any gingerbread recipes on my blog.
There are three reasons I decide to share this recipe with you. The first one is their look, because I like the way they look on a cookie tray. The second is their taste – strong and impressive – festive. The last one is that they are quick and easy to prepare, easier than cookies. When you make the dough, you don’t have to chill it, cut it, shape into cookies and decorate, so preparing ginger bread bars with cream cheese frosting really doesn’t take a lot of time.
Ginger and molasses give these bars a specific flavor. If you prefer simple desserts, you can make them without cream cheese frosting and they´ll taste just as good. Cream cheese frosting makes them super decadent and their look will be completely different, especially if you use Christmas decoration.
What do you need to prepare Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting?
- Butter – I used unsalted butter, softened at a room temperature
- Brown and granulated sugar
- Molasses
- Egg – room temperature
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour
- Ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cream cheese – I used full fat cream cheese, softened at a room temperature,
- Powdered sugar
- Sprinkles
How to prepare Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting?
First, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and salt. Then, mix ½ a cup of butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, in a separate dish, until it´s smooth, then add the egg and beat until it´s well combined. Next, add molasses and vanilla and mix some more, until it´s incorporated. Finally, combine it with dry ingredients, beating at a low speed until it´s well combined. Press the dough into 9×13 inch pan, that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and bake for 15-18 minutes.
When they are ready, take the bars out of the oven and leave them in the baking pan for a couple of minutes, then carefully transfer them on a cooling rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make cream cheese frosting, by mixing cream cheese with 1/2 a cup of butter, until it´s smooth. Then, add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating first at a low speed, then high until it´s fluffy. Spread cream cheese frosting over the cooled gingerbread and sprinkle. Cover the bars with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge.
WELL, THIS WAS JUST A SHORT VERSION OF THE RECIPE. YOU CAN FIND MORE DETAILED ONE, WITH ALL THE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS AND THEIR QUANTITIES, IN THE RECIPE CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.
Tips and tricks:
Don´t forget to spray baking pan with non-stick spray, so that gingerbread wouldn´t get stuck to baking pan. Butter and flour can be used instead the spray, parchment paper, as well.
Make sure not to over bake, or the gingerbread will be dry.
If it seems like cream cheese frosting isn´t solid enough, ad some more powder sugar.
Gingerbread should be completely cooled before you put cream cheese frosting on it. Otherwise, the frosting won´t be solid enough, it will become soft and even liquid.
Time goes by, quickly… Christmas is knocking on our door, so make sure you are ready to welcome it. Start by preparing Christmas treats that you can find here > CHRISTMAS RECIPES.
Try to make your home even warmer by making Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting and enjoy the lovely smell that is coming out of the oven while it´s been baked. Their unique taste is what singles them out of so many other Christmas recipes and I´m sure that once you try them, you’ll make them over and over again. Good luck with baking and tasting Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting!
Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting is an amazing Christmas dessert. These chewy, fudgy, spicy bars, topped with cream cheese frosting are so easy to prepare and they look great on a cookie tray.
Ingredients
- GINGERBREAD
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Large egg
- 4 1/2 tablespoon Molasses
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 8 oz Cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 cups Powdered sugar
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- TO PREPARE GINGERBREAD – Preheat the oven to 350 F, spray 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium dish, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- Meanwhile, beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a separate dish, at a medium speed, until it´s smooth. Then, add the egg and beat until it´s combined. Next, add molasses and vanilla and beat some more, until it´s incorporated.
- Finally, combine it with dry ingredients and mix at low speed until it´s well combined. Press the dough into the already prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with your hands.
- Gingerbread should be baked for 15-18 minutes. When it´s ready, take it out of the oven and leave in the baking sheet for a few minutes to cool, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING - mix cream cheese and butter until it´s smooth, then add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat, first at low speed, then high, until it´s fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cooled gingerbread and sprinkle. Cut them into squares, cover with plastic wrap, keep them in an airtight container.
Notes
- If they are refrigerated, you can keep them for 3 days. At a room temperature, they can be kept for up to 5 days, but without frosting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 306Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 147mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 0gSugar: 32gProtein: 3g