Frosted Gingerbread Cookie Bars (Vegan)

Frosted gingerbread cookie bars are fudgy, chewy, gooey, and perfect for Christmas! They’re sweetened with brown sugar and molasses, then spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. This holiday dessert has all the flavor and spice of gingerbread cookies, with no complicated decorating required. Top them with vegan vanilla frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

Vegan gingerbread blondies with frosting

What’s the holiday season without gingerbread? Incomplete, if you ask me! While counting down the days until Christmas, I’ve been brainstorming all sorts of ways to enjoy the classic gingerbread flavor. Today, I’m happy to report these cookie bars as a real winner. They are incredibly fudgy, perfectly sweet, cinnamon-filled, and ridiculously tasty. Like, eat-the-whole-pan-at-once tasty. (Beware!)

I wasn’t sure whether to call these “cookie bars” or “blondies” because they are a mixture of both. They have the texture of dense, chewy blondies and the flavor of gingerbread cookies. The best part? The light, fluffy, and sweet vanilla frosting on top.

These frosted gingerbread cookie bars are:

• Vegan, dairy-free, and can be made gluten-free
• Rich and sweet with brown sugar + molasses
• Packed with warm spices, like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg
• Easy to make // No intricate decorating required
• A Christmas dessert that’s great for any holiday celebration!

What does gingerbread taste like?

Gingerbread refers to a unique flavor used in baked goods during the holiday season. It’s typically sweetened with brown sugar and molasses, then spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Two of the most common gingerbread-flavored desserts include cookies and loaves. However, you can also enjoy gingerbread-flavored cake, cheesecake, blondies, oatmeal, granola, and so much more!

Ingredients needed

• Flour: We’ll use all-purpose flour, otherwise known as plain flour, for these dessert bars. If you’re following a gluten-free diet, replace it with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. I recommend the Bob’s Red Mill brand.
• Brown sugar: These bars are sweetened with brown sugar. You can use a dark or light variety.
• Vegan butter: To keep them vegan and dairy-free, vegan butter is used instead of traditional butter.
• Molasses: Molasses gives these bars a warm, sweet, and subtly-smoky flavor.
• Flaxseed: We’ll create a flax egg by combining ground flaxseed and water. The mixture thickens into a gelatinized consistency, much like regular eggs. Flax eggs are often used in vegan baking in order to bind ingredients together.
• Powdered sugar: The vanilla frosting is primarily made from powdered sugar.
• Spices: A combination of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg create the rich gingerbread flavor.

How to make vegan gingerbread bars

For the full ingredients list and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card below.

First, prepare the flax egg by combining ground flaxseed and water in a bowl. Mix together, then set aside to thicken for 10 minutes.

Next, add the vegan butter and brown sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric handheld mixer or stand mixer to beat the ingredients together. Add the flax egg, molasses, and vanilla extract. Beat together once more to combine.

Then, add the dry ingredients to the batter. This includes flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix together just until the flour is evenly combined.

After, transfer the gingerbread cookie dough to a parchment-lined baking dish. Press the dough across the base of the dish in an even layer.

Next, bake the gingerbread cookie bars at 350 degrees F for 16-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest until completely cooled. Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla frosting.

How to make dairy-free vanilla frosting

Dairy-free frosting requires 3 ingredients: powdered sugar, vegan butter, and vanilla extract. It’s easy to make and tastes just like traditional frosting.

First, add the butter to a bowl. Use a handheld mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter until creamy. Then, add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat together until combined, adding splashes of plant-based milk (as needed) to thin the consistency.

After, spread the vanilla frosting on top of the gingerbread bars. Sprinkle with cinnamon or toss holiday sprinkles on top. Slice and enjoy!

Kaylie’s tips

Use slightly-softened vegan butter. For the best results, I recommend using slightly-softened vegan butter for both the bars and frosting. Leaving it at room temperature for roughly 30 minutes is a good idea.

Cool before frosting. Be sure to let the bars cool completely before adding the frosting. If they are too warm, the frosting will begin to melt.

Sift the powdered sugar. I suggest sifting the powdered sugar through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any clumps.

Decorate the bars. There are several ways to decorate these gingerbread bars. You can keep it simple with a dash of cinnamon or add color with holiday sprinkles. Other unique options include chocolate chips, coconut shreds, and crushed pecans.

Store the bars in a sealed container. Keep them at room temperature or stored inside the refrigerator. They are also freezer-friendly.

More vegan christmas desserts

• Vegan Hot Chocolate Cookies
• Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms
• No-Bake Pecan Pie Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
• Vegan Hot Chocolate
• Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Peppermint Mocha Smoothie Bowl
• Vegan Frozen Hot Chocolate
• Vegan Scotcheroos (Special K Bars)

If you try these Frosted Gingerbread Cookie Bars, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

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