Gingerbread Blondies

Nibbling on a soft, warm blondie square with a mug of hot apple cider is a fall pleasure. Imagine those same blondies, rich with brown sugar and molasses, but spiked with the coziest baking spices: gingerbread!

If you love the taste of gingerbread cookies and want to make a no-fuss dessert, this gingerbread blondie recipe is what you’re looking for. It’s a comfy twist on a classic fall and winter holiday favorite.

Ingredients for Gingerbread Blondies

• Butter: Melted butter allows you to skip the traditional beating step and yields a fudgy texture.
• Brown sugar and molasses: Blondies are famous for their toffee-like notes, which are achieved with dark sweeteners like brown sugar and sticky molasses.
• Vanilla extract: A generous amount of vanilla extract complements the baking spices.
• Eggs and flour: Eggs and flour add structure to these blondies.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Using a combination of both baking powder and baking soda ensure the best lift, color and texture.
• Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves: Combine these baking spices for that classic gingerbread flavor.
• White chocolate chips (optional): If you’d like to add a mix-in, white chocolate chips’ mild and sweet flavor work well with the spicy brown sugar notes in these gingerbread blondies.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the baking pan

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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a greased 13×9 inch pan with parchment, leaving some overhang on the long sides. Grease the paper for extra ease.

Step 2: Stir together the wet ingredients

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Mix melted butter, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time.

Step 3: Make the batter

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In another bowl, whisk up flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Add dry ingredients to sugar and butter, stirring until just combined. Fold in white chocolate chips, if using.

Editor’s Tip: Just like with any other soft baked good, don’t over mix as it activates gluten and can make for a uncomfortably chewy dessert.

Step 4: Bake the gingerbread blondies

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Scrape the batter into the baking pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. be careful not to overbake if  you want them soft and fudgy.

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Cool completely on a wire rack. Use parchment handles to lift bars from pan and cut.

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Recipe Variations

• Frost the gingerbread blondies: Swirl cream cheese frosting on top. The tangy icing is a good pairing with the sweet blondies.
• Drizzle with melted white chocolate: Melt chocolate and drizzle over the top of the blondies. You can pour it on randomly, or at opposing diagonals for a pretty cross-hatched effect.
• Add some crunch: Fold in 1 cup of your favorite toasted nut into the batter, like walnuts or pecans.

How to Store Gingerbread Blondies

Store gingerbread blondies covered at room temperature for four to five days.

Can you freeze gingerbread blondies?

Gingerbread blondies are good candidates for freezing. Wrap the entire pan (or individual bars) well with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Slide into a freezer-safe, zipper-top bag for up to three months.

Tips for Gingerbread Blondies

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How do you cut neat bars?

Let the bars cool completely. We recommend using parchment paper to make a sling for your blondies so they can be lifted easily out of the greased pan. Use a large chef’s knife or a straight metal bench scraper to make evenly spaced cuts, approximately 2 inches apart for 2×2 inch squares (you will be cutting just a bit over 2 inches, since the pan is 13 x 9 inches.)

Use an 8 x 8 inch pan if you prefer a taller blondie. It may take slightly longer to bake the thicker bar.

What type of molasses do you use?

You might find several different types of molasses on the grocery store shelf. Select unsulphured molasses, but then you will need to choose between light, dark and blackstrap. These represent the subsequent boilings of sugar cane or sugar beet syrup, and the darker the molasses the stronger and more bitter it is. For baking applications like molasses cookies, cakes and these gingerbread blondies, light molasses is the sweetest, but still offers a deep, rich taste.

What’s the difference between a blondie and brownie?

Both blondies and brownies are beloved dessert bars made with flour, butter, sugar, eggs and leaveners. The difference is that brownies include chocolate or cocoa for a deep and chocolatey flavor. Blondies lean on brown sugar for a rich caramel taste.