These soft and chewy gingerbread cookie bars are so easy to make—no dough chilling, no dough rolling, no cookie cutters required! They’re delicious plain, or topped with spiced cream cheese frosting. Skip the fuss and make gingerbread bars instead!
This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find it in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
One reader, Christi, commented: “These gingerbread cookie bars are so good, I found myself returning to ‘taste test’ them again and again—and that was before adding the spiced cream cheese frosting! The flavor and texture are irresistible! ★★★★★”
One reader, Rebecca, commented: “My husband and I made these yesterday, and they are so good! They taste just like a delicious cookie! Soft, slightly chewy, with creamy warm icing… I can see myself making these whenever I need a little Christmas in my day throughout the year. So easy and comforting. ★★★★★“
When you need a big batch of cookies but are pressed for time, cookie bars are the way to go. This dessert recipe makes a generously sized 9×13-inch pan of soft, chewy gingerbread cookie bars, perfect for sharing, especially at the holidays.
If you love the holiday-favorite flavors of warm spice and molasses, like you enjoy in gingerbread cookies and crisp molasses cookies, you’ll find those same cozy flavors here; but the texture is oh-so soft and chewy—like a gingerbread version of a brownie!
Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Cookie bars are super soft and chewy, not cakey
- Packed with that nostalgic molasses and spice flavor associated with the holidays
- Makes a large pan to serve a crowd
- No dough chilling, no dough rolling—no fuss!
- Quicker and easier to make than many cookie recipes
- Can add white chocolate chips or butterscotch morsels for texture variety
- Top with a layer of cinnamon-spiced cream cheese frosting
Unlike these soft molasses cookies, gingerbread latte cookies, or traditional gingerbread cookies, there’s no dough chilling like these gingerbread blossoms, no rolling dough into individual balls or rolling out dough to cut into shapes (and then re-rolling), and no baking in batches. The only waiting you’ll have to suffer through is for the pan to cool for 1 hour before you cut them into bars. (I’m sorry!)
Simple Ingredients
Like with these favorite chewy chocolate chip cookies, using melted butter makes for the softest, chewiest bar cookies. I usually like to use melted butter in bar recipes like homemade brownies and blondies because the bars taste chewy, not cakey. I tested this recipe with creamed softened butter, and the baked result ended up looking more like a puffy sheet cake.
Here’s everything else you need for these gingerbread cookie bars:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this recipe.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps these bars rise as they bake, and we use a good amount of it to stand up to the heavy melted butter and molasses.
- A Generous Amount of Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg; plus, a pinch of black pepper—the same secret ingredient I always add to pumpkin pie!
- Salt: Salt adds flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Sugar: Use a mix of brown sugar and white granulated sugar.
- Molasses: Use unsulphured; blackstrap is too bitter for these.
- Egg: An egg binds everything together.
- Vanilla Extract: For flavor.
White Chocolate Chips (Optional): If you love white chocolate chip molasses cookies, feel free to add some white chocolate chips to these bars, too. Fold them in as the last step in making the dough, just like we do with chocolate chip cookie bars.
Have I Mentioned No Dough Chilling?
Just melt, mix, press, and bake!
The dough will be slick from the melted butter, but should be easy enough to spread/press into the pan. Pat it down as best you can. It may seem like it isn’t enough dough, and the layer will be thin. But the bars rise as they bake.
Success Tip: Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang. Once the bars are cooled and frosted, simply lift the whole thing out using the parchment overhang. Set it onto a cutting board and slice. Easy!
Bake just until the top is set, and avoid over-baking. Cool the bars for at least 1 hour inside the pan before frosting and/or slicing.
Top With Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
These gingerbread cookie bars are fabulous on their own, but then again, a little frosting is always a good idea. My favorite cream cheese frosting is far from basic; it’s incredibly creamy, silky smooth, and has that subtle tang to it. We’re scaling it down, and also kicking the flavor up a notch by adding pinches of some of the spices used in the cookie bars. The result is similar to the spiced cream cheese frosting on these pumpkin bars.
And, of course, some sprinkles are the perfect festive accessory on top. I used gingerbread cookie-shaped sprinkles, something like these, and some Christmas-colored nonpareils. Here’s a 4-pack of Christmas sprinkles, and I really love these snowflake sprinkles, too. Lots of options!
If you’re not planning to frost these gingerbread cookie bars, I recommend sprinkling the top with coarse sugar or festive colored sugar sprinkles before baking. Because a little sparkle is always welcome at the holidays!
You could even top with a sprinkling of chopped crystallized ginger, like we do for these chocolate ginger sparkle cookies.
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes (includes cooling & chilling)
- Yield: 18-24 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft and chewy gingerbread cookie bars are so easy to make—no dough chilling, no dough rolling, and no cookie cutters required! They’re delicious plain, or topped with spiced cream cheese frosting. Careful not to over-bake these; they’ll still feel and look quite soft on top, but the bars set as they cool. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- small pinch of ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I recommend dark)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (113g/80ml) unsulphured molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces (170g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- small pinch each of ground ginger, cinnamon, & allspice
- optional for garnish: sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Adjust oven rack to the center rack position. Line a 9×13-inch metal or glass baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.
- Make the cookie bars: Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses together until no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg and vanilla. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a large spoon or silicone spatula until no traces of flour remain. The dough will be thick and shiny. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press it into a smooth, even layer. It may not seem like enough dough, and it will be a thin layer—that’s OK.
- Bake for 23–26 minutes or until the top is set but still looks quite soft and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with only a few moist crumbs. Err on the side of under-baking. Bars puff up in the oven, but settle and firm up as they cool. Allow the bars to cool in the pan set on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until completely combined and creamy. Taste and beat in a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet. Spread the frosting on the cooled bars. Top with sprinkles, if desired. To help set the frosting, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Lift the bars out of the pan by gripping the parchment paper overhang; transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares. Cover leftover bars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you skipped the frosting, cover and store plain gingerbread cookie bars at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature and continue with step 4. Baked and cooled cookie bars, with or without frosting, freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw bars overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Gingerbread Cookie-Shaped Sprinkles | Christmas 4-pack Sprinkles | Snowflake Sprinkles
- Can I Halve the Recipe? Yes, you can halve the recipe for an 8-inch or thinner 9-inch batch of bars. The bake time is about the same, but begin checking for doneness at 22 minutes. It can be difficult to halve an egg accurately, so I do recommend making the original 9×13-inch batch, and you can freeze extras.
- Butter: Avoid letting the melted butter cool for too long, otherwise your dough will be crumbly instead of soft (and your cookie bars can end up cakey). As soon as it’s melted, stir in the sugars and molasses as instructed in step 3.
- Molasses: I use and recommend unsulphured or dark molasses. (I like Grandma’s brand. The kind I use is labeled “original” molasses.) Blackstrap molasses is extremely bitter and not ideal in this recipe.
- Cream Cheese in Frosting: Use brick cream cheese, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub.
Reader Comments and Reviews
If preparing the night before, do you frost that night or the next day before serving?
Angelique, whichever you prefer! See step 9 of the instructions for storing instructions.
These gingerbread cookie bars are so good! They have a great texture. Dense enough to really hold their shape and stand up to the spiced cream cheese frosting, but still soft and chewy. There is enough spice flavor to stand out, but not too make the bars overly spicy.
I’m going to a holiday event in a couple of weeks where the theme is “bring your own charcuterie board-type dish”. I’ve just decided these gingerbread cookie bars (without the frosting) are going to be the base of my build-your-own-trifle board. Yummm!
These were delicious!!! They were super quick and easy to make and made the house smell like Christmas. I would highly recommend to make them and share with friends.
The recipe is great! However, after letting the bars set up in refrigerator for 45 minutes, the frosting was still very soft. Should it be real soft of firm up better? It was difficult to stack them to freeze because of the frosting being s soft. Thanks
Hi Mary, Did you use full-fat block-style cream cheese? Anything else will be too thin in the frosting.
Amazing! Certain family members can’t do cheese so I subbed your vanilla buttercream frosting and it worked out wonderfully.
Amazing!
I made 2 batches of these, 1 in a metal pan and 1 in a ceramic pan. The ceramic pan turned out so much better!!! Both were still amazing – loved the recipe!
These are wonderful! Such a bold flavor. Do you think making a regular buttercream frosting without cream cheese is a good alternative? I want to be able to put these in cookie boxes that will not be refrigerated.
Really enjoyed this recipe, easy to make and love all the different spices in them. Instead of icing them I added some semi-sweet chocolate chips to the dough as I always like a gingerbread/chocolate flavor combo. These were delicious and so much easier than making gingerbread cookies! I baked mine a little less than the time written, more like 21 minutes and they came out just right. Will make again!
Will this recipe freeze well, even with the frosting already on the bars?
Hi Beth, Sure will! See recipe notes for make ahead and freezing instructions.
These bars are great! I am going to make a second batch to bring into work, so I’ll need to cut 24 small slices. Do you think it would look better if I cut the bars into small slices before frosting? I have never done that method, so wondering if your team has any insight. I was thinking it could turn out like a pull apart cupcake cake. Thanks!
Hi Sarah! We haven’t tested that, but would love to hear how it goes if you do. The frosting may get a little messy!
This was such a big hit last year for Christmas Eve with my family. Another big plus is my apartment smells amazing while and after this bakes- can’t wait to make this again.
Can I make this in a gingerbread man shaped pan and use baking spray?
Can’t see why not!
Delicious! I made these to share with friends and they were a big hit!
Made these on the weekend & they’re fantastic.!!! Will definitely make them for an upcoming potluck.
I made this recipe with my son yesterday and it turn out most excellent and tasty! We added about 1 to 1.5 cups of chopped pecans to the batter and it turned out great – gave it a slight crunchy texture along with all of the gingerbread goodness.
Hi Sally, I was wondering if I can use another frosting instead of the cream cheese one. Our family doesn’t like cream cheese
Hi Maria, You can use your family’s favorite frosting, or simply skip it.
Is this a recipe where I can substitute applesauce for the melted butter?
Hi Shelly! We don’t recommend that swap.
Made these to take to a Friendsgiving get-together…people couldn’t stop eating them! No leftovers! I will definitely make these again.
I’ve become fixated on the idea of recreating the gingerbread ice cream sandwiches my mom used to buy in the grocery store at Christmas when I was kid. Do you think this would work as the cookie base?
Hi Sue, we haven’t tried it, but I think this would be too thick. I would recommend trying it with the cookies from this recipe for gingerbread whoopie pies instead. Let us know how they turn out!
I’m baking for a crowd and plan on using a 12×18 inch pan. Would you recommend doubling or tripling the recipe to fit that pan size? I’d like the bars to still be thick. How much do you recommend increasing the baking time by?
Hi Anna, you could double the recipe for a half sheet (12×18) pan.
The gingerbread bars look good. But my question is about the Polish/Eastern European kolachki ( Kolachky) cookie. Do you have a dough recipe for that little cookie filled with jam, specifically, a dough recipe like Anna Olson uses on her YouTube video – she uses cornmeal in her Kolacky dough recipe her spelling). She doesn’t give the recipe. Thanks
Hi Dianne, unfortunately, we don’t have a recipe for those cookies. But I see these https://littlesunnykitchen.com/kolaczki/ and these https://polishhousewife.com/kolaczki/ have good reviews!
Will this recipe work without molasses? Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth, molasses is a key ingredient in gingerbread recipes and, unfortunately, there isn’t a perfect substitute. Some readers have reported success using treacle or honey in our other gingerbread recipes, but note that the flavor profile will be different. If you can only find blackstrap molasses where you are, you can try using half blackstrap, half golden syrup. Some readers have reported success with that. Let us know if you give it a try.
Thank you for your years of committing to bringing the joy of baking into our lives! As we all embark on Making America Healthy Again I’d love to see more sugar free, low carb, high protein and healthy options as well. I’ve been eating that way for over 24 years but love to bake for those near and dear to me who have eaten sugar but now I want to healthify so many recipes
A well
Yum! After reading some of the comments and comparing to the chocolate chip cookie bar recipe I often make I decided to use a 9 inch square pan for this recipe. I had problems spreading them in this pan, I can’t imagine a smaller one. They just took a couple of minutes longer, 25 in my oven. I remembered I had some leftover cinnamon cream cheese from your carrot loaf recipe (on heavy rotation here at the moment!) so that’s going on some of them. Perfect!
These, the Nutella brownies, and the carrot loaf and the favourites here right now. They are both very easy!
I love gingerbread but mine came out extremely dry? I followed the recipe also.
Hi Lucy, thank you for giving these a try! How did you measure your flour? Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure it isn’t over measured, which can leave the bars feeling dry and heavy. You could also try shortening your bake time by just a minute or so next time. You’ll know they’re done when the top is set, but still look quite soft, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist (not wet) crumbs.
Wonderful recipe. I left out the frosting. I definitely do not recommend making these in corningware or Pyrex. Edges overcooked and middle raw. But tasted amazing nonetheless. Next time, I’ll use an aluminum pan. Thank you Sally, my absolute most favorite recipe developer!
Wonderful recipe! The pepper is the key ingredient in my opinion. I used your buttercream frosting for my half and your cream cheese frosting for my husband’s half (marriage requires compromise, right? ), and we both loved these gingerbread cookie bars. Thanks for a recipe I know I will make many more times!
Fantastic recipe for gingerbread lovers! I baked in a 13×9 metal pan in a convection oven. I took it out at 19 minutes. Perfect!
Can this recipe be doubled?
Hi Sue, you could double the recipe easily for a half sheet pan.
This was such a great recipe! The spice level is perfect, and I made a cinnamon buttercream for on top as I didn’t want to buy cream cheese! I set my timer for 23 minutes and checked after 19. It was over cooked : ( edged were crispy and the middle was really set. They still tasted great, but next time will check after 14-15 minutes.
I use a 7 x 11 for thick, chewy bars. We love them!
Thanks for this comment, I am thinking of using a smaller pan but was wondering. I’ll try a 9 by 9 or 11 by 7