Gingerbread Cookie Bars: The Perfect Holiday Treat

Flour: All-purpose flour works best here. It gives the bars that perfect texture – not too dense but not too light either.
Baking soda: This helps the bars rise and gives them the light soft crumb that’s so irresistible.
Ground ginger cinnamon, and cloves: These spices are what make gingerbread so comforting and festive. The ginger gives it a little zing, while the cinnamon and cloves round out the flavor and add warmth.
Butter: Softened butter is key to getting that melt-in-your-mouth texture. You want the butter to mix easily with the sugar and create that perfect chewy texture.
Sugar: I use both brown sugar and white sugar. The brown sugar brings a caramel-like depth of flavor while the white sugar helps the bars stay sweet and soft.
Egg: One egg is all you need to bind everything together and give the bars their structure.
Molasses: This is the star ingredient. It gives gingerbread its signature dark color and slightly smoky sweetness. It’s absolutely essential in this recipe!
Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla adds a nice depth of flavor that really brings everything together.

Before you do anything, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven is heating up, line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it with cooking spray. This helps prevent the bars from sticking to the pan and makes cleanup a breeze. Parchment paper is my go-to for easy removal, especially with these gooey, soft bars.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. This step really brings out the beautiful aromas of the spices. Set this bowl aside while you work on the wet ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or a wooden spoon, if you’re feeling traditional) to cream the softened butter and both sugars together. You want this mixture to become light and fluffy – this step is what gives the bars that soft, tender texture. The sugar will melt into the butter, creating a smooth base for the rest of the ingredients.

Now it’s time to add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract. The molasses is what gives these bars their deep, rich color and flavor, and the vanilla adds a subtle sweetness. Mix everything together until it’s smooth and well combined. As soon as you add the molasses, you’ll notice the mixture deepens in color and the kitchen starts to smell absolutely amazing.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix – you don’t want to lose the tender texture of the bars. Once the dough is smooth and sticky, you’re ready to go.

Spread the dough evenly in the prepared baking pan, pressing it into the edges so it’s nice and uniform. Pop the pan into the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes. The bars are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. You’ll know they’re ready when your kitchen smells like a cozy gingerbread dream.
Once they’re done, take the bars out of the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. After that, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s tempting to dive in right away, but let them cool down so they set properly.