This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
All the flavor of classic gingerbread cookies in a chewy Gingerbread Cookie Bar generously topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting.
I’ve had “make gingerbread cookies” on my holiday baking list for several years now and I never seem to get around to it.
Most of the time, just thinking about rolling out cookies is enough to make me get out a bar pan and throw together a batch of brownies instead. Does that make me lazy? or just impatient?
Well, I’m happy to tell you that these cookie bars trump every gingerbread cookie I’ve ever tasted in the past. So, not only do they win points for being so very easy, they win for being truly fantastic as well.
And while these bars are absolutely delicious topped with the cream cheese frosting, they’re also terrific without the frosting.
These bars are one of the greatest holiday baking ideas ever. (Thanks to 12 Days of Christmas with Six Sisters’ Stuff for the inspiration!)
I officially (and likely forever) crossed “make gingerbread cookies” off my list six years ago, when I tasted these bars.
Gingerbread Cookie Bars Recipe
- TO MAKE THE COOKIE BARS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper. Combine the butter, sugar, molasses, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until creamy.
- Add the egg and stir again. Add the flours, baking soda, spices, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan, using either a spatula or your hands to smooth it to the edges of the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out mostly clean, with wet crumbs. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
- TO MAKE THE FROSTING: When the bars have completely cooled, beat together the butter and cream cheese for the frosting. Add the powdered sugar and beat again until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean and stir to mix throughout the frosting. Frost the bars, slice, and serve. Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 vanilla bean scraped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper. Combine the butter, sugar, molasses, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add the egg and stir again. Add the flours, baking soda, spices, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan, using either a spatula or your hands to smooth it to the edges of the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out mostly clean, with wet crumbs. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
- When cooled, beat together the butter and cream cheese for the frosting. Add the powdered sugar and beat again until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean and stir to mix throughout the frosting. Frost the bars, slice and serve. Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
{originally published 10/2/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/11/20}
These look wonderful. These will make great Christmas cookies.
My Favorite Christmas tradition is baking my Nana's Sugar Cake Cookies. Takes me back to family gathers at her home. Now I'm hungry for sugar cakes 🙂
I love to cook stuffing for a turkey breast or huge turkey, it is my favorite holiday food..I only make this one kind at the holidays and it is a big winner..Would love to win this recipe book, it looks fabuless! from mary jane Sampson at maryjanesampson@outlook.com!
I will be making this this year during the holidays instead of my traditional gingerbread in the loaf pan. The cream cheese is a great idea. I know my grandkids and family will love it.
Cream pie, sugar cookies, date sqaures, ginger bread cookies
My favorite holiday food is the turkey and trimmings!
Fav Christmas treat: Russian wedding tea cakes!
I like your ginger bread bar recipe…will try them soon!
I am a big follower of the recipies on Barefeet in the Kitchen. I love to bake and have found this Ginger Bread cookie recipe is so easy and delicious. My husband could not stay out of them and asked me to make them again only double it!
I made these for Christmas Day and they were delicious! I will definitely be making these again, and NOT just for holidays. Thank you for posting the recipe and have a happy New Year!
These were so delicious! I actually put dough into 2 pie pans so I could share some with my mom.
Very easy to make also. Yum!
I am thrilled that you’re enjoying the recipe, Kathryn!
Looks Delicious ♥️
I hope you like them, Marla.
Can this be made in a 9-in spring form pan and served like a cake?
I’ve never tried that, Tom. I’m not sure how it might work.
Did you try it? Area wise, a 9″ spring form pan would be roughly half the size of a 9″x13″ pan. A 12″ spring form pan, I think, would work better as size wise, in area, it’s closer to the rectangular pan. You might have to let it bake a few minutes longer.
My favorite Christmas food is steamed date pudding with vanilla sauce.
That sounds delicious, Deb!
Can this be made using an 11 x 17 baking pan instead of the 9×13.
I’d recommend doubling the recipe if you’re going to use a pan that size, Suzanne.
My favorite Christmas food is Persimmon Cookies
I would love that recipe!!
How long do these keep in the fridge?
These will keep for several days in the fridge. You can also freeze them for a couple of months.
My favorite holiday food is the stuffing. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only times we make it from scratch. The rest of the year gets stove top.
Is there an alternative for the topping? Can’t do cream cheese
Hi Pam. You can skip it or use any frosting that you like.
Just made these- came out great! Can they be frozen? Wasn’t sure because of the frosting. Thanks!
I would probably freeze them unfrosted, just in case, if you’re planning on serving a crowd. If it’s just the leftover bars, I would try freezing them with a layer of parchment or wax paper between them. They might not be quite as pretty, but should work fine.
I make these delicious bars all the time. They freeze beautifully with the frosting. I have found, if you place them in the fridge for a bit before cutting, they cut much cleaner. I then put the cut bars on a cookie sheet and freezes for about 3/4-1hr before putting in a container for the freezer.
Also, I cut the amount of icing in half. No one has ever complained!
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying them so much, Lynn!
Needs at least double the ginger and about half the icing.
That’s the beauty of sharing recipes and making things ourselves, Moira. Feel free to tweak the recipe to your heart’s content.