I first shared this recipe on The Recipe Critic where I am a contributor. These soft and chewy Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars are the perfect easy festive treat to make this Christmas.
Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars
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You know what’s better than gingerbread cookies? Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars! Why? Well, they are thick, chewy, can be made in no time, and they are frosted with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. And who doesn’t want more cream cheese frosting in their life? These sugar cookie bars are dangerously good! Forget the gingerbread men. These bars are easier, faster, and more delicious! Plus, no decorating skills required.
How to Make Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars:
First, you’ll start by making your gingerbread dough. In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients including all the spices. Mixing all the dry ingredients together ensures that all the spices and leavening agents will be evenly dispersed throughout the bars.
Next, mix the sugars, molasses, and butter together and then mix in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients until everything is combined and you’re ready to press it into the pan.
You can line your pan with parchment paper or just grease it with cooking spray. Spread the dough out evenly to the edges using a rubber spatula. Bake for 15-17 minutes and set the pan on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
After frosting, shake on some festive Christmas sprinkles.
How to make the perfect cream cheese frosting:
You’ll first start by letting the butter and cream cheese sit on the counter for 20-40 minutes (depending on the temperature of your home) before beating.
First, beat the cream cheese and butter together in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Next, sifted the powdered sugar into the bowl and begin mixing on low so you don’t get a cloud of sugar in your face. Beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and add any more powdered sugar if needed.
How to make your frosting white:
Cream cheese and butter cream frostings are often pretty yellow but the trick to making it white is to add the tiniest bit of purple or navy food coloring. And by tiny I mean you just need to dip the very tip of a toothpick into the dye and then poke it into the bowl of frosting. Mix until the frosting turns white. Add a little more if necessary.
How do I store Sugar Cookie Bars with cream cheese frosting?
These should be stored in an air tight container in the fridge because of the cream cheese in the frosting.
HERE ARE A FEW MORE CHRISTMAS TREATS THAT YOU ARE SURE TO ENJOY:
- Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
- Homemade Christmas Caramels
- White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps
- Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
- White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THESE SUGAR COOKIE BARS:
9×13 Inch Metal Baking Pan with Lid– I LOVE LOVE LOVE this baking pan. I use it for making cakes or any sort of bar treat because it allows me to store and transport with easy and it’s airtight.
Kitchen Aid Mixer– This is so handy to have in the kitchen. I use it for cookies, cakes, frosting, bread, whipped cream… LOVE IT!
Measuring Cups– I love these measuring cups! It has every single size measuring cup and spoon. I can’t stand sets that don’t come with 2/3 and 3/4 cups!
Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup butter, melted, cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses (unsulphered)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- purple or navy food coloring
- sprinkles
Instructions
For the dough:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan (I used a metal pan) with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all dry dough ingredients together. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix melted butter, sugars, and molasses together until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until combined. Spread the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan and bake for 15-17 minutes. Set pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until there are no lumps. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and then a tiny bit of purple or navy food coloring to make it more white. Get the air bubbles out by setting the mixer to stir and allow to mix for 1-2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and add the sprinkles. Store covered in the fridge.
This looks delicious and I’m very fond of ginger. I love your recipes!
Would I be able to use a non- dairy cream cheese to make these?
I’ve never used non-dairy cream cheese so I’m not sure. If you’re looking to go dairy free you’d also have to substitute the butter and I don’t have a good substitute for that. I’m sorry I can’t be more help. Do let me know if you end up using the substitution and how it is so other non-dairy readers know.