Soft plush gingerbread bars topped with lots of tangy vanilla cream cheese frosting are a snackable holiday treat everybody loves!
These gingerbread bars are so good. They push all my dessert buttons with a moist cake base and plenty of creamy frosting. I was flooded with holiday sense memories the minute the wet ingredients hit the dry in my mixer! Gingerbread is definitely the most evocative of all the seasonal ‘flavors’, that aroma is so distinctive.
In my experience gingerbread bars can be either super sweet and sticky, or more like cookie bars. Mine strike the perfect balance ~ they have a soft cakey texture with a thick layer of tangy vanilla cream cheese frosting that doubles down on those cake vibes. The spicing is minimal, just a smattering of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves while the molasses does most of the work. These gingerbread bars are very delicious and very easy to make in a half sheet pan.
I’ve steered away from sheet cakes in the past and I know it’s been all about the pan. I have an ever growing assortment of sheet pans but never the exact one I seem to need. And any recipe that has me searching for a tape measure gets an automatic ding!
Sheet cakes can definitely be confounding. But here’s the thing, once you figure out the pan (see below, I’ve done it for you) sheet cakes are easy and so user friendly. Now I love them!!
the half sheet pan I use
The confusion around half sheet pan sizes arises because they are not fully standardized across brands and uses. While the typical size of a half sheet pan is 18 x 13 inches with a 1-inch rim, variations exist.
To measure your pan, measure from outer edge to outer edge: it should measure 18×13 or very close. If you do not have a half sheet pan I recommend this one from Nordic Ware, it’s the one I use.
A half sheet pan is a great size for desserts to share ~ it’s not too big, just right for a hungry family or small crowd.
ingredient notes for gingerbread bars
DARK BROWN SUGAR
- dark brown sugar contains even more molasses than golden brown sugar. That gives these bars a richer gingerbread flavor and keeps them extra moist.
MOLASSES
- molasses is a thick, dark syrup made during the sugar-making process, it adds a rich, deep sweetness with slightly bitter and smoky undertones, which pairs perfectly with the warm spices. Be sure to avoid buying blackstrap molasses, it’s bitter.
SPICES
- spices are the heart and soul of gingerbread, giving it that warm, cozy vibe we all love. Ginger brings the heat, cinnamon adds sweetness, and cloves and nutmeg give it depth and a little bit of mystery. Together, they turn a simple cake or cookie into something bold, aromatic, and totally festive.
ORANGE ZEST
- orange pairs beautifully with the warm spices and molasses. The zest adds a bright note to the flavor profile of these gingerbread bars.
CREAM CHEESE
- I think the reason we love a cream cheese frosting with gingerbread is that great element of contrast ~ the cool tangy frosting balances the warmly spiced cake.
the bottom line
I love these gingerbread bars, they’re a variation of another recipe I adore, my Perfect Pumpkin Bars. They’re moist, they’ve got that great gingerbread flavor, they’re easy to whip up, and they feed a large family or a small crowd. Another thing I love about this recipe is that it keeps such an iconic holiday flavor profile alive and well.
Gingerbread is like a time machine for your senses—one whiff of those spices and you’re back at the holiday dinner table or decorating cookies with mom. Baking it keeps those feel-good vibes alive and makes sure those memories stick around for the next generation. A pretty heavy responsibility for a dessert, but I think my gingerbread bars are up to it!
more gingerbread for the holidays
- Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
- Gingerbread Cake
- Nyakers Gingersnap Cake Recipe
- Glazed Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Gingerbread Spritz Cookies
Gingerbread Bars
Equipment
- half sheet pan,
- stand mixer or electric beaters
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- grated zest of one orange
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
dry ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
liquid ingredients
- 1 cup warm tap water
- 1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap, which is bitter)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
- 8 ounces brick style cream cheese
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste
- 3 Tbsp milk to thin the frosting to spreadable consistency, add more if needed.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray and flour your half sheet pan.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl a couple of times to get everything incorporated.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again.
- Whisk together your dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Mix the warm water with the molasses and maple syrup in a bowl or glass measuring cup.
- With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients with the molasses mixture, beating after each addition, beginning and ending with the dry.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and make sure to get your spatula down to the bottom of the bowl, giving the batter a final mix by hand.
- Turn the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the surface evenly from edge to edge. Take a minute to get it even. Bake for about 20 minutes, just until done through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter on it. Note: this is a very thin cake so it will bake quickly. Being confident of your oven's temperature is important. I recommend using an oven thermometer to be sure and remember, your baking time could differ from mine.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. You'll want it to be pretty much completely cooled before you frost it.
- To make the frosting you can use electric beaters or a stand mixer, but I prefer to use my food processor! I load everything into the bowl and process until silky smooth. Add more milk if your frosting is too thick. This method is great because you can use cold cream cheese. If you use another method you'll want to soften your cream cheese at room temperature first.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and enjoy!
I’d like to make these bars, can you make them in a 9″ by 13″ pan instead? Thank you!
Yes, just lengthen the baking time, I’m not sure how long they will take, so keep an eye on them through the oven window, but don’t open the oven too prematurely or the cake can fall.
Looking forward to trying these bars! I don’t have a half sheet pan.. could I use 9 x 13 pyrex and simply halve the recipe? Thanks for years of flawless recipes and happy holidays!