Get a Head Start on the Holiday Season With These Spiced Gingerbread Bars

The holiday season is still a long ways away but since string lights and Christmas trees are already being put up, there’s no reason you can’t embrace the warm and spicy flavors of gingerbread as well. What better way to do so than with these spiced gingerbread bars? They’re a perfect creative twist on the classic holiday cookie.

You might be horrified at the thought of making gingerbread while the illustrious pumpkin pie still has leftovers in your fridge after its chance to shine at the Thanksgiving table, but we’ve definitely had enough pumpkin for one season. Plus, I always hear too many people complain about last year’s bland and soggy pumpkin pies, but I have yet to hear anyone groan over the thought of gingerbread. Additionally, with finals season fast approaching, the flavors of gingerbread are great because they always bring warm memories of being home with family for the holidays. However, you don’t want to get too bored of the classic gingerbread cookie just yet, so switch it up and make these spiced gingerbread bars instead.

These spiced gingerbread bars retain all the toasty flavors of the holiday season and the traditional gingerbread cookie, along with chocolate chips and dried cranberries for added excitement, but are served in the form of soft and gooey bars instead. Think just-out-of-the-oven brownie texture, but gingerbread flavor—and who doesn’t love just-out-of-the-oven brownies?

The flavor of these bars is like an explosion in your mouth, where you bite in expecting one thing, only to get an assortment of spices mixed with the depth of the molasses and the pockets of sweetness from the chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Although you can’t cut these bars into fun shapes like stars or people figures, they’re so good you may never go back to the classic thin, crisp cookies again.

Gingerbread Bars

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:16 servings

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. 
   

   Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8 inch pan with butter.

2. 
   

   Place stick of butter into microwaveable bowl and microwave for 1 and 1/2 minutes, or until completely melted.

3. 
   

   Once butter has cooled, place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

4. 
   

   Mix until batter is smooth.

5. 
   

   Pour batter into greased 8×8 inch baking pan.

6. 
   

   Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. 
   

   Let cool before cutting into pieces and enjoy!

• Kitchen
• Vegetarian