Gingerbread Blondies
These Gingerbread Blondies are soft, chewy, and packed with cozy holiday spice. Topped with creamy frosting, they’re a festive twist you’ll make year after year.
Servings: 24 bars
Equipment
- 13x9-inch baking dish
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
- wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula or butter knife
- Toothpick
- Sifter or fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
Blondies
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon plus more for dusting if desired
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz block of cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 ½-4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Instructions
Blondies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth and well combined.
- Beat in molasses, egg, and vanilla until incorporated.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides as needed, until dough forms.
- Press dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable.
- Beat in vanilla extract.
- Spread frosting evenly over cooled blondies.
- Use parchment overhang to lift blondies from the pan. Cut into 24 bars.
Notes
Storage, Freezing & Make-Ahead
- Store frosted blondies in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Unfrosted blondies (before you add the frosting) can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
- To freeze: wrap individual bars or the whole slab tightly in plastic wrap and then foil; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and frost (if not already frosted).
- Make-ahead option: Bake the blondie base ahead of time (up to a day or two). Once cooled, leave unfrosted, cover and store. Frost just before serving for freshest look.