Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

The holidays are rolling in and I wanted to get a head start with this chocolate gingerbread bar recipe. Almost like a brownie, these cookie bars have a kick of holiday spices and molasses to give it a gingerbread feel.

Gingerbread is one of my favorite flavors. Gingerbread cookies, doughnuts, cupcakes, I’m in love. Especially those massive gingerbread men covered in icing…I can’t resist. I saw this recipe and bookmarked it with an empty butter box so I could make it the next day (that was the closest thing to me at the time…is that weird?)


I got this recipe from the Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies magazine. It came in my swag bag when I was at the Martha Stewart Show. I can’t rave enough about this issue, from the recipes to the design. The table of contents is beautifully done, it is organized into sections like “for traditionalists” with things like chocolate chip cookies and shortbread, “for trendsetters” highlighting more ambitious cookie flavors, like Indian-spiced cashew-lime or smoky bacon-ginger cookies. Beyond that are recipes that are made for sending far away to loved ones, recipes for health-concious people or for those who like the extra indulgence. The people at Martha Stewart really know what they are doing.

Now, back to these bars.

This recipe uses pumpkin pie spice, if you don’t have any, you can make your own (click here). It’s really just a mix of other spices that can commonly be found in the kitchen.

This resembles brownie batter more than cookie dough, it also kind of tastes and feels like a brownie after it is cooked, but it has more flour than a brownie typically would, so I think that is why it is called a bar. Who am I to question Martha Stewart?

And why question it? It’s delicious.

Print Recipe
Chocolate Gingerbread Bars
Adapted from Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies Magazine

Makes 16 bar cookies

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line the pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides. Butter paper and dust whole pan with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.

In a medium bowl, sift and whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, ginger, and pumpkin-pie spice.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and sour cream. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, stirring until it is just moistened (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips (optional: mix a little cake flour in with the chocolate chips and toss around a bit to coat them, this prevents chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom). Transfer batter to prepared pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into 2-inch squares. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Filed Under Cookies

2 Responses to “Chocolate Gingerbread Bars”

1. Jamieanne says:

   November 24, 2010 at 7:09 pm

   Looks delicious!!

   Reply
2. rach says:

   December 8, 2010 at 3:10 pm

   Just made these, they are fantastic!

   Reply

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