Gingerbread cookie bars

Part cookie, part cake and all delicious!

I blame my Nova Scotia heritage for my love of all things ginger and molasses. From my family’s favourite old fashioned chewy ginger cookies to these scrumptious whole wheat gingerbread waffles to these heavenly pear-gingerbread muffins, it’s a favourite ingredient combination for sure. These bars or squares, depending upon how you choose to cut them, are the perfect blend of cookie and cake and the candied ginger on top is a real treat. They’re delicious on their own but even more festive with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) butter
• 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 mL) ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) white sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) molasses
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (90 mL) very finely chopped candied (crystallized) ginger

Method

• Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the pan and other ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the ends.
• Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl (use a stand mixer if you have one), combine the melted butter, sugars and molasses. Beat until well blended. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla and beat one minute more.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until well blended.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chopped candied ginger evenly over top of the batter.
• Bake in preheated oven until edges are set but the centre is still soft, about 22 – 25 minutes.
• Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes then lift out of pan using parchment paper “handles” and cut into bars.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for three days or freeze for up to three months.