Cream Cheese Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
Delight your taste buds with these irresistibly soft and spiced Cream Cheese Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Icing—a festive twist on classic holiday treats. These bars combine the warmth of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves with the richness of molasses for a perfectly chewy texture infused with cozy holiday flavors. Topped with a smooth and luscious cream cheese icing, they strike the perfect balance of sweet and tangy in every bite. With just 20 minutes of prep time and straightforward instructions, this crowd-pleasing recipe is ideal for holiday gatherings, cookie swaps, or indulgent weeknight desserts. Make-ahead-friendly and easy to store, these bars are a stress-free way to bring holiday cheer to your dessert table!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 225 grams Cream cheese (softened)
- 115 grams Unsalted butter (softened)
- 200 grams Dark brown sugar
- 50 grams Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg
- 80 ml Molasses
- 5 ml Vanilla extract
- 250 grams All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Ground ginger
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp Ground cloves
- 1.5 tsp Baking powder
- 0.5 tsp Salt
- 200 grams Powdered sugar
- 15 ml Milk
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease or line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together 115 grams of softened cream cheese, 115 grams of softened butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the mixture, beating until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before proceeding to the icing step.
To make the cream cheese icing, beat together the remaining 110 grams of softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add the milk a little at a time, mixing well, until the icing reaches your desired spreadable consistency. Adjust the milk quantity if needed.
Spread the icing evenly over the cooled gingerbread bars.
Cut into 12 squares or desired sizes, and serve. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
4711 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 182.2 g | 234% | |
| Saturated Fat | 108.9 g | 544% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 698 mg | 233% | |
| Sodium | 2814 mg | 122% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 740.5 g | 269% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 8.9 g | 32% | |
| Total Sugars | 530.8 g | ||
| Protein | 48.0 g | 96% | |
| Vitamin D | 2.8 mcg | 14% | |
| Calcium | 752 mg | 58% | |
| Iron | 20.5 mg | 114% | |
| Potassium | 2501 mg | 53% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
