Soft Chewy Gingerbread Bars (Printable)

Soft, chewy gingerbread bars spiced warmly and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze for cozy moments.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
12 - 1 large egg, room temperature
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

14 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 2–3 tablespoons milk
16 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract; mix until smooth.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Evenly spread the dough into the prepared baking pan.
06 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until edges are set and the center remains slightly soft. Avoid overbaking.
07 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Drizzle evenly over cooled bars.
09 - Cut into 16 squares and serve.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • Soft and chewy in the center with just enough structure to hold together—no crumbly disappointments here
  • The warm spice blend smells like the holidays without needing a calendar to justify making them
  • A simple vanilla glaze that comes together in minutes transforms them into something special enough for guests
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients actually make a difference here—they emulsify better and give you a more cohesive dough
  • Not overbaking is genuinely the most important thing. They continue cooking slightly on the cooling rack, so slightly underbaked is better than slightly overbaked
  • The glaze needs to set before you cut and serve, or it'll smear everywhere and still taste great but look less polished
03 -
  • Using freshly ground spices or ones you know are fresh makes a difference you'll actually taste—this is the one time to splurge on quality spices
  • Weight measurements for flour give you the most reliable results if you have a kitchen scale, but volume works too if you spoon and level carefully
  • Melting the butter first and letting it cool slightly before whisking with sugar creates a more emulsified wet mixture that binds everything beautifully

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