I’m a big fan of Tory Burch and her handbags. I find that they are pricey but every now and then I like to splurge. I saw (on her blog) that Tory’s Thanksgiving menu involved a gingerbread brownie for dessert. Chocolate and gingerbread combined into one goodie? I’d never heard of such a thing. It got me thinking…why not? Fast forward through all my research to these chocolate gingerbread bars and now I’m in love with the combo. In fact, I’m a bit obsessed with it and I wonder how I ever managed without it.
These bars are a moist gingerbread chocolate cake loaded with chocolate chips.
Chocolate Gingerbread Bars Recipe
(16 servings)
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons (equivalent to 1/2 stick) butter, melted
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup light sour cream
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- powdered sugar, topping
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper (leaving enough room on the sides to be able to pull it out once it’s done cooking), spray it with baking spray and set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. Set aside the dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, molasses, brown sugar, egg, and sour cream.
- Stir in the dry ingredients just until moistened.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake it in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
- Transfer it to a cooling rack immediately and let it cool completely. (This part is actually important in this recipe because you don’t want it to continue cooking while it is sitting in the hot pan, otherwise it may get over cooked and come out dry.)
Store it in an air tight container at room temperature or in a freezer friendly bag in the freezer. (Note: If you store it in the freezer, reserve topping it with the powdered sugar until you are ready to serve it.)
I wish we had smell-o-vision because all of the various spices and ingredients simply sitting in the bowl smell wonderful. I don’t often suggest that you sift an ingredient. Quite frankly, it’s not usually necessary and I hate to dirty another gadget. However, I strongly suggest that you always sift cocoa powder because it will mix much butter with the rest of the ingredients (i.e. no funky cocoa powder blobs that somehow fail to ever get any moisture in them).
If I thought it smelled great before I baked it, can you imagine what it’s like in my kitchen now? It’s what I imagine Mrs. Claus’ kitchen would smell like. 🙂
I’m a huge fan of gingerbread cookies. Is it socially acceptable to eat them all year long? I feel like there should be star shaped gingerbread cookies for the 4th of July. 😉
Imagine the traditional flavors from your favorite gingerbread cookie transformed into something like a cake or a brownie. Now combine those fantastic holiday spices with sweet chocolaty goodness. The cocoa and semisweet chips take the gingerbread flavors to another level. A level my husband often refers to as “awesome.”
I love the ratio of ingredients going on here. You definitely taste gingerbread and chocolate. Neither flavor overpowers the other.
The bars get their wonderful dark color from the molasses and cocoa powder. They are so moist and just a little bit chewy like a gingerbread cookie should be.
These bars do not need any fancy frosting. (Not like that means you can’t use cookie cutters and make massively thick gingerbread men and do them up with all the same fun frosting you would normally use.) There is just so much flavor going on with them that I’m not sure I’d want to introduce something else. A little powdered sugar on top will do. 🙂 It makes for a beautiful presentation and it doesn’t interfere with the gingerbread and chocolate flavors.
Gingerbread flavors are an acquired taste. I find that you either love it or hate it. What side are you on?
Source: Martha Stewart
Here are a few of my favorite bar recipes.
Peanut Butter Frosted Brownies
Double Chocolate Chip Blondies
I am a fan of gingerbread flavours! Those gingerbread chocolate bars look divine, Tina.
Thanks so much! I appreciate you stopping by. 🙂
I had to check how you incorporated the gingerbread. Your pic is great.
Thank you. 🙂 Glad you stopped by!
I love love love the combo of gingerbread and chocolate! Gorgeous bars, Tina—the powdered sugar on top totally complete them. Pinned it!
Thanks so much! 🙂
Oh I love gingerbread and we should totally make star shaped gingerbread cookies in July!! Revolution. These bars look delicious and I want to try the combination of gingerbread and chocolate so bad now. PS: I love that we are gingerbread twins today!
Hehe, gingerbread twinsies! Love it. 🙂
Mmm these sound soooo delicious!
Thank you! 🙂
I literally just finished my batch of chocolate gingerbread granola bars and these will make the PERFECT replacement. I love love love the combo of choco and gingerbread!
I just gasped out loud! Those granola bars sound amazing!! 🙂
This sounds like a wonderful combination, Tina! And the pics are great! Pinned. Have a lovely weekend and a great holiday. 🙂
Thanks so much Julie! Have a beautiful holiday season. 🙂
I’m definitely on the gingerbread loving side, duh! ;–) And I adore chocolate and brownies as well, so I’m pretty sure I’d devour the whole pan of these in a matter of seconds haha. Seriously girl, they look amazing. No wonder why you’re obsessed with them!
Enjoy your weekend! xo
Hehe, you’re awesome!! xoxo
These gingerbread bars look wonderful Tina! Love how moist and tasty they look and they sound awesome with all the chocolate 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend and a wonderful holiday sweetie! xo
You’re the best Kelly! xoxo
I love chocolate and ginger together but have never thought to add in all the other gingerbread flavors. Yum!
You simply must try this combo and even though I’m not a betting girl I’d bet you’ll fall in love. 🙂
These bars look so rich and delicious! Plus they’re just gorgeous.
Pinning!
Thanks so much! 🙂
I love the flavor of gingerbread and those hand bags are gorgeous. Great recipe and beautiful color 🙂
Handbags and chocolate gingerbread bars…a girl can’t go wrong. 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
I would have never thought of combining chocolate and gingerbread, but gosh this looks (and sounds) super delicious! I love the powdered sugar on top. Yum!
This combo has opened up my eyes to a whole new world. 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
These brownies sound terrific, Tina! What a yummy (and new to me, too) flavor combination. And your photos are lovely 🙂
Thanks so much! 🙂
I love gingerbread and these look amazing. I will definitely will make these.
Thanks, Tina.
Awesome! Let me know how you make out. I hope you love them as much as I do. 🙂
Gosh these look incredible! So thick, so cinnamon-y, so chocolate-y (spell check is killing me right now;) – what a fantastic Christmas bar! Pinning!
Hehe, that darn spell check. 😉 You’re too cute.
I almost don’t want to give these bars away! I’ll have to make a private batch for me after the holidays. 🙂 So so good!
I SOOOO wish we had the smell-o-vision, too! I bet these are super scrumptious. Gingerbread flavor swimming in with some chocolate…pure heaven!!! (=
Totally heaven! 🙂
I love the combo of these flavors! What a great recipe… pinning! PS I’m a Coach gal and tend to splurge twice a year 🙂
Thanks! Oh yeah…coach is another goodie. I’m just a simple girl who loves her sweets and purses. 😉
I appreciate you stopping by!
I love that you used ginger and pumpkin spice in these beautiful bars, amazing taste!
Thanks! I don’t know about you, but I hate seeing “gingerbread” recipes that are missing those essential spices…um, then they’re not gingerbread in my book…spice perhaps…but not a gingerbread goodie. 😉
Definitely love gingerbread…it’s just not Christmas without it. And these bars look so moist and fluffy! Love your pictures! Have a merry Christmas Tina!
Thanks so much! You and your family have a beautiful holiday season! 🙂
I am a huge gingerbread fan. I have never tried it with chocolate. I will take your word for it as it looks fantastic and chewy.
Thanks so much! 🙂
These bars look so delicious! I love gingerbread too and this is such a great idea! 🙂
Thank you! I appreciate you stopping by. 🙂
Wow Tina, these look amazing! I am so in love with the gingerbread craze and I’ve been snacking on gingerbread cookies like they’re going out of style. These bars look very yummy and I love that they’re like an in between brownie and cake, so they’re probably light and easy to snack on! :D. By the way your blog is absolutely beautiful !
Yes, they are too easy to snack on! I’m happy they taste amazing, but my waistline is not so much. 😉
You are so sweet! Thank you a million times over. 🙂