Small Batch Chewy Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Close up of a bite missing from a gingerbread cookie bar with cream cheese frosting and holiday sprinkles on top.

5 from 6 votes

Small Batch Chewy Gingerbread Cookie Bars

These Small Batch Chewy Gingerbread Cookie Bars are soft, perfectly spiced, and topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting. The best part? The cookie dough comes together quickly, and then you just dump the dough into a pan and press flat. No chilling, no dough balls, no cookie sheets going in and out of the oven every 10 minutes, just super simple steps!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cookie Bars, Gingerbread

Servings: cookie bars

Calories: 94kcal

Author: Mike Johnson

Ingredients

28 g unsalted butter melted
36 g granulated sugar
15 g light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
28 g unsulphured dark molasses (don't use blackstrap)
15 g sour cream
63 g all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ batch cream cheese frosting
garnish: sprinkles (optional)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 1-lb (8x4-inch) loaf pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vanilla, molasses, and sour cream until well combined.
Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt and use a rubber spatula to fold until just combined. The dough will be very thick.
Once combined, wet your hands slightly (to prevent sticking) and then press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggles when you shake the pan.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, top with the cream cheese frosting and holiday sprinkles, if using, then slice into bars. Cover and store leftover bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Notes

This recipe can be doubled (as pictured in this post) and baked in an 8x8-inch pan for 17 to 20 minutes. If doubling the recipe, replace the two tablespoons of sour cream with 1 large egg yolk. Also, you'll want to make a full batch of the cream cheese frosting!

Nutrition