Sharing the best gingerbread cookies today! My Soft Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Bars are perfectly festive for your Holiday baking! They’re frosted with cream cheese frosting and packed with chocolate chips!
Gingerbread Bars
These gingerbread bars are sweet, spicy and frosted with irresistible cream cheese frosting. Just what your dessert tables need this season! Enjoy!
Be sure to try my Soft Bach Style Gingersnap Cookies too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
Ingredients For Gingerbread Cookies
- salted butter– For most of my baking, I use salted butter, however unsalted works just fine as well.
- dark brown sugar– Dark brown sugar is found next to the light brown sugar. It has more molasses in it. Perfect for gingerbread recipes.
- molasses– Find the molasses in the baking section of the grocery store.
- large egg– For consistency, I use large eggs in my recipes.
- almond extract– Almond extract is found near the vanilla in the baking section. You can also substitute for vanilla.
- all-purpose flour– All-purpose flour is the main dry ingredient in the cookies.
- ground cinnamon– Ground cinnamon is a spice that is great in holiday baking.
- ground ginger– Ground ginger is found in the spices section of the grocery store. Commonly used in gingerbread recipes.
- baking soda– Baking soda helps the cookies rise slightly during baking.
- kosher salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt commonly used in cooking and baking.
- mini chocolate chips– Find mini chips in the baking section of the grocery store near the other chocolate chips.
- softened cream cheese– Use a full-fat cream cheese for the frosting. Make sure it’s completely room temperature for a smooth consistency.
- powdered sugar– Also referred to as confectioners sugar. This sugar helps make the frosting.
How To Make Gingerbread Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place butter, brown sugar and molasses into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Beat until well combined. Beat in egg and almond extract. Slowly stir in flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt. Once dough forms, stir in chocolate chips until combined. Transfer dough to prepared baking dish and press evenly. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until baked. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- To prepare frosting, place cream cheese and butter into a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat until creamy and smooth then slowly add powdered sugar until thick and creamy. When bars are cooled, frost over bars and cut into squares to serve. Serve room temperature or chilled. Sprinkle tops of bars with cinnamon if desired.
Once butter, brown sugar and molasses is well combined, add egg and almond extract. You can substitute vanilla for the almond extract if you’d like.
Dry ingredients into the mixing bowl once wet ingredients are combined.
Chocolate Chips added to mixing bowl next! I use mini chocolate chips, but regular size chocolate chips are fine too.
Transfer dough to a parchment paper lined baking dish, pressing evenly. Bake for 16-18 minutes then remove to cool completely.
How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting
You can use a stand mixer or just a spoon and mixing bowl. Place cream cheese and butter into a large bowl and beat until well combined. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating until thick and creamy.
Frost gingerbread bars with cream cheese frosting and serve room temperature or chilled.
How To Serve
Serve bars room temperature or chilled at your next Holiday gathering!
How To Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Soft Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Bars
Equipment
- Oven
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- parchment paper
- mixing bowl or stand mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- whisk
- mixing spoons
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup Molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 stick salted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place butter, brown sugar and molasses into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Beat until well combined. Beat in egg and almond extract. Slowly stir in flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt. Once dough forms, stir in chocolate chips until combined. Transfer dough to prepared baking dish and press evenly. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until baked. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- To prepare frosting, place cream cheese and butter into a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat until creamy and smooth then slowly add powdered sugar until thick and creamy. When bars are cooled, frost over bars and cut into squares to serve. Serve room temperature or chilled. Sprinkle tops of bars with cinnamon if desired.
Nutrition
Pin Gingerbread Bars
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These turned out really well! I was a little concerned about the almond extract but it wasn’t overpowering! Tastes almost like a cinnamon roll! Did not add the chocolate chips though because I don’t like that combination. The icing makes a lot so just a heads up if you double the recipe you don’t need to double the icing.
OH MY GOSH SO GOOD