Cooking Lesson #964: Holiday Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Bars

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? In our chocolate company we always looked for old classic recipes that we could enhance with chocolate. These Holiday Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Bars is a great example. They have the perfect combination of ginger and chocolate and are a yummy treat for the holiday season. 
 
Cookie bars are here to save the day! This recipe comes together in a snap and makes a perfect batch of soft, chewy cookie bars. You can easily scale the recipe up for a crowd or make this ahead for an amazing on demand treat.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  20-25 minutes
Yields:  Serves 24
 
Ingredients 
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons molasses, divided
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste, divided
2 cups bittersweet chocolate morsels (I prefer Guittard Chocolate)
1 container store-bought vanilla frosting (or your favorite recipe) 
1/4 cup red and green Christmas sprinkles
 
Directions

1. Heat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Spray a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt, ground ginger and pumpkin pie spice, then set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the dark brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium high speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and combined.
5. Add in 2 of the tablespoons of molasses and mix to combine.
6. Add in the eggs, and mix until combined, making sure to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
7. Mix in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla bean paste.
8. Slowly add in the flour until well incorporated.
9. Stir in the bittersweet chocolate morsels.
10. Deposit the cookie batter in the prepared pan, pressing to smooth out the batter and cover the whole pan.
11. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are browned around the edges.
12. Let them cool before frosting.
13. To make the frosting, combine the vanilla frosting with the remaining molasses and vanilla bean paste.
14. Frost the cookies, sprinkle with sprinkles and then cut them into 24 bar cookies.

ChefSecret:  This is also the perfect recipe to substitute butterscotch chips for chocolate chips and change the name to Caramel Gingerbread Cookie Bars. 

Quip of the Day:  What do you call a gingerbread person who is a private detective?  Sherlock Crumbs!
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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                                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

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