Gingerbread cookies are a classic and I also enjoy gingerbread bars, the same gingerbread flavour in a larger, soft and chewy bar form! Yum! This is a pretty basic bar recipe that uses all brown sugar and molasses, which adds flavour and the brown colour. The spices include plenty of ginger along with some cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I like to add white chocolate chips and candied or crystallized ginger (cut into small pieces) to the bars; you can never go wrong with chocolate and the candied ginger adds even more ginger flavour! These bars are amazing without icing but I enjoy topping them with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting!
White Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Bars
Gingerbread cookies in thick and chewy bar form with white chocolate chips, pieces of candied ginger and a white chocolate cream cheese frosting!
ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/3 cup candied/crystallized ginger, diced
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered/confectioners sugar
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
For the bars:
For the icing (optional):
directions
- Cream the butter and sugar before beating in the molasses, eggs, and vanilla.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Mix the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient mixture before mixing in the candied ginger and white chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter into a greased (or parchment paper or foil lined) 8×13 inch baking pan and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until a toothpick pushed in the centre comes out clean, about 20 minutes, before setting aside to cool.
- Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar.
- Melt the white chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler and mix it into the cream cheese frosting.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the bars, let cool, slice and enjoy!
For the bars:
For the icing (optional):
These are PERFECT for a Christmas gathering! Thank you for sharing, I can’t wait to try them 🙂
knowing that they’re gingerbread, can’t help but think these bars look like little gingerbread houses, great bars, thank you!
Instead of the candied ginger, can I use ginger powder?
How much would I use?
The candied ginger is there simply for the texture; you can omit it as there is already enough ginger powder in the recipe. Enjoy!