These quick and easy Gingerbread Bars with Maple Brown Sugar Frosting are perfect for your Christmas cookie tray! The bars are moist and full of spices, and topped with a simple and fast maple brown sugar frosting!
You guys know that I typically blame food disappearances on S.O., but that’s because he is the one to devour large quantities of the food in our house without even blinking. I could go to sleep to a full fridge, and wake up to a lot of things missing and/or half-eaten.
He blames the cat and claims he witnessed her food-snatching with his own eyes, but I’m not buying it. No, I really don’t think it’s her.
Either way, these bars… they were ALL me. When I bake and dessert-make, I can never predict which one of us will be the guilty party when it comes to can’t.stop.eating.this tendencies. I couldn’t resist the scones. He couldn’t resist the Grinch cookies or the trifle. It sometimes goes back and forth. Whereas we BOTH couldn’t resist the Reese’s cookies.
But these? I loved! I am the one who did most of the damage. It’s so funny too because I just went on and on about how I’m not a huge gingerbread person. That’s still true. I’m not changing my tune on you. I really don’t consider myself much of ginger person. Yet, I adored these bars. I ate a few nibbles (no calories in little ‘nibbles’!) of a bar every single morning, and 2 bars after every workout for 6 days straight. They are definitely good post-workout fuel. 😉
S.O. really liked them too, btw, he just didn’t start going after these til the pie (coming soon!) was gone.
The bars were just so spicy and flavorful. Molasses, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon – even pumpkin pie spice. All the best spices in life are in these. They were moist, and even chewy too! The frosting is the real icing on the… bar. Maple and brown sugar are so wonderful all on their own, but put them together in a frosting, and welcome to heaven. And put that frosting on some gingerbread. Closer to heaven.
Call me a broken record, but these are also super easy. The bars are just a quick batter thrown together and baked, and the frosting is ridiculously simple.
They belong in your post-workout meal, apparently. Or, be a normal person, and make them for a holiday dessert! In either event, enjoy!
Gingerbread Bars with Maple Brown Sugar Frosting
Ingredients
Gingerbread Bars:
- 1/2 c. butter softened
- 2/3 c. packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/3 c. molasses
- 1 2/3 c. flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp. clove
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Brown Sugar Maple Frosting:
- 1/2 c. butter
- 1 c. packed brown sugar
- 1/4 c. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. maple extract
- 1/4 c. maple syrup
- 3 c. powdered sugar approximately
Instructions
For bars:
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In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Beat until well-blended.
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Beat in egg and molasses, mixing until well-blended.
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In another large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix with a whisk until well-blended.
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Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, and beat until blended.
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Spread into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
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Cool completely.
For frosting:
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In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
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Add in brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
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Boil for 1 minute, remove from heat, and whisk in milk, vanilla, maple extract, and maple syrup.
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Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and beat in powdered sugar until it reaches desired consistency.
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You can add additional milk or powdered sugar as needed to make the frosting thick, but spreadable.
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Spread frosting evenly over cooled gingerbread bars. Enjoy!
That maple brown sugar frosting sounds incredible! I’m not a giant gingerbread fan either – I’ll eat it, but I’ll always go for other stuff first! If you are the same and couldn’t stop eating these then I’m obviously going to have to try them! Or, you know, stay far far away from them because I probably don’t need more things I can’t stop eating in my life! 🙂
I don’t know what it is, but I just found these pretty addictive! And I’m not a ginger person! I think you’d like them too, for a non-ginger person! Haha! I know what you mean… I really do not need to be hooked on anymore sugary treats, but I just can’t help myself! 🙂
These bars are simply perfect!
Thank you so much! I couldn’t stop eating them! 🙂
Sarah, I’m a huge fan of gingerbread and was thinking about making gingerbread cookies this weekend. I absolutely love the idea of cookie bars because less time in the kitchen as I try to finish Christmas shopping sounds perfect right now! And that thick layer of brown sugar maple frosting… Definitely something I want to eat after a workout;)
You are? My family loves ginger stuff too! I don’t know why it’s not always my first choice, but these bars… they were a different story! Yes – you should totally make a bar cookie instead of drop cookies! That’ll be a life saver in the last 6 days before Christmas while we’re all feeling time-crunched. Omgosh, can’t believe Christmas is 6 days away… gah!
That’s so funny that your husband blames the cat for the food being gone! Totally something my husband would do too, if we had a cat! 🙂 These gingerbread bars look incredible, Sarah! I love how soft and moist these are. And that thick layer of frosting looks insanely good. I love your pictures, too!
Lol! Yes, food disappears overnight in the house and he always says he caught the cat red-handed. Uh-huh. 🙂 Thanks, Gayle! 🙂
That frosting!! I’d drink it!!
Haha! It was addictive, for sure! Thanks for your kind comment, Dorothy! I *adore* your blog! It’s one of my favorites, and I was so excited to see a comment from you!! Thank you!! 🙂
These sound AMAZING! Thanks for sharing another delicious recipe on the Weekend Re-Treat link party. If you get a chance to visit my blog sometime, I’d love it. Have a lovely weekend!
Thanks so much, Courtney!
These look totally amazing! I wish I could blame the disappearing baking on my husband… but unfortunately I think it’s mostly me!
Lol! We are both culprits, and it kind of goes back and forth. I blame him, then he blames the cat. Haha! Thanks, Ashley! I hope you’re doing well with your new little one! 🙂
These look incredible! That frosting is totally calling my name! They would disappear in no time at my house too!
Thanks, girl! I couldn’t stop eating them! They were just irresistable to me! 🙂
gingerbread anything is my absolute fave over the holidays!!! love these bars. . and I would SOOOO have can’t.stop.eating.this tendencies with these gingerbread-bars!!! love the maple brown sugar frosting!!
It’s funny because I’m not usually hooked on gingerbread things, but this was definitely a big exception!! Thanks, Alice!
YUM! Saw these at the link party and had to come check them out. I LOVE gingerbread and this frosting looks amazing! Pinning!
Thanks so much, Erin! So glad you like them! Thanks for your kind comment. Merry Christmas!! 🙂
These look amazing and I can only imagine how good they smell:)
They were divine! I absolutely loved these bars. The gingerbread and maple are so perfect together! Thanks so much, Ginnie. Happy Holidays! 🙂
These bars have got it going on with the glorious frosting!! 😉 Delicious!
Thanks, Jocelyn! 🙂
They look so good! Pinned and tweeted. Jessica chose this as her favorite post. We will be featuring it at our party tonight at 7 pm. Woo Hoo! I hope to see you there. Lou Lou Girls
Thanks for the party, as always! Happy New Year!
I love this idea! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday!
My frosting looks nothing like this…is there supposed to be cream cheese in there
Nope, my version does not contain cream cheese, though you could certainly add it, and it would probably make it very creamy. I’d love to help troubleshoot – what did your frosting turn out like? What is the consistency? Did you make any substitutions?