Description
These Chewy Gingerbread Bars with Lemon Glaze offer a delightful twist on classic gingerbread. Soft and chewy with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, these bars are topped with a tangy lemon glaze that adds brightness and balance to the rich molasses flavor. Perfect for holiday gatherings or anytime you crave a spiced treat with a zesty finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Bars
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 0.5 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 0.33 cup unsulphured molasses (do not use blackstrap)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.125 tsp ground cloves
Lemon Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 3–4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to make it easier to lift the bars out after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined to evenly distribute the spices.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted unsalted butter with dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Then add the unsulphured molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is glossy and uniform.
- Combine Batter: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula. Stir just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the bars tough.
- Prepare to Bake: Press the thick batter evenly into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with the spatula or your hands.
- Bake: Bake the bars for 20-25 minutes until the edges are set and the center is just barely firm when touched, ensuring a chewy texture.
- Cool: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack to firm up further and make them easier to glaze and slice.
- Make Lemon Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, lemon zest, salt, and enough fresh lemon juice to create a thick but pourable glaze consistency.
- Glaze Bars: Using the parchment overhang, lift the cooled bars from the pan and place on a flat surface. Pour the lemon glaze over the bars, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Set and Serve: Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Once set, slice the bars into 16 equal squares and serve.
Notes
- Use unsulphured molasses for best flavor; blackstrap molasses is too bitter for this recipe.
- Make sure your egg is at room temperature to help create a smooth batter.
- Do not overmix the batter to maintain a chewy texture in the finished bars.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting.
- The lemon glaze adds a bright, tangy contrast to the warm spices, but you can omit it if you prefer a more traditional gingerbread flavor.
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Gingerbread bars, chewy gingerbread, lemon glaze, holiday dessert, spiced bars, molasses bars
