Save Rich, spiced gingerbread bars layered with a buttery crumble and finished with a tangy lemon glaze—a festive treat perfect for any season.
I first made these gingerbread crumble bars for a holiday gathering and watched them disappear within minutes. Their crumbly topping and sweet-tart glaze turned out to be an instant crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups (250 g)
- Light brown sugar: 1 cup (200 g), packed
- Ground ginger: 2 tsp
- Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
- Ground cloves: 1/4 tsp
- Ground nutmeg: 1/4 tsp
- Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
- Salt: 1/2 tsp
- Unsalted butter: 3/4 cup (170 g), melted
- Unsulphured molasses: 1/3 cup (80 ml)
- Egg: 1 large
- Powdered sugar: 1 cup (120 g), sifted
- Lemon juice: 2 tbsp, freshly squeezed
- Lemon zest: 1 tsp, finely grated
Instructions
- Prepare the pan:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients:
- Stir in melted butter, molasses, and egg until a thick, crumbly dough forms.
- Reserve crumble:
- Set aside 3/4 cup of dough for the topping.
- Form base:
- Press remaining dough evenly into the pan to form the base.
- Top with crumble:
- Sprinkle reserved dough in small pieces over the base for a crumble effect.
- Bake:
- Bake 28 to 32 minutes until set and lightly golden.
- Cool:
- Let bars cool completely in the pan.
- Make glaze:
- Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth.
- Glaze bars:
- Drizzle glaze over cooled bars. Let set 20 minutes before slicing.
Save Sharing these bars at family gatherings has become a tradition. The citrus glaze never fails to get praise from grandparents and kids alike.
Variations
Add chopped crystallized ginger or toasted pecans for extra texture, or swap the butter for a plant-based alternative to make them dairy-free.
Pairings
Serve with hot tea, mulled cider, or creamy vanilla ice cream for a festive dessert plate.
Nutritional Information
Each serving contains 220 calories, 8 g total fat, 36 g carbohydrates, and 2 g protein.
Save Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature. The flavor actually deepens after a day.
Recipe Help
- → What spices are used in the gingerbread base?
The base features ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for a warm, spiced flavor.
- → How is the lemon glaze prepared?
The glaze is made by whisking powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice and grated lemon zest until smooth.
- → Can this be made dairy-free?
Yes, substitute regular butter with vegan butter to make it dairy-free.
- → How long should the bars cool before glazing?
Allow the bars to cool completely before drizzling the lemon glaze to ensure proper setting.
- → What optional ingredients add extra texture?
Chopped crystallized ginger or toasted pecans can be added to the crumble topping for added flavor and crunch.