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 baked these for a winter get-together, and they disappeared almost instantly. The combination of cozy gingerbread with bright, zingy lemon always brings back memories of laughter around the table.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups (250 g)
- Light brown sugar, packed: 1 cup (200 g)
- 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, melted: 3/4 cup (170 g)
- Unsulphured molasses: 1/3 cup (80 ml)
- Large egg: 1
- Powdered sugar, sifted: 1 cup (120 g)
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: 2 tbsp
- Finely grated lemon zest: 1 tsp
Instructions
- Prepare the pan:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Mix dry ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients:
- Add the melted butter, molasses, and egg. Stir until a thick, crumbly dough forms.
- Make crumble:
- Reserve 3/4 cup of the dough for the crumble topping.
- Form base:
- Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the base.
- Add crumble topping:
- Sprinkle the reserved dough over the base in small chunks to create a crumble effect.
- Bake:
- Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until the top is set and lightly golden.
- Cool:
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare glaze:
- For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth.
- Finish bars:
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars. Let set for at least 20 minutes before slicing into squares.
Save My family loves breaking these bars apart together—they are the perfect sweet bite for a chilly evening or packed in a lunchbox for a midweek treat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these gingerbread bars with hot tea or mulled cider for a comforting snack that pairs beautifully with the punchy lemon glaze.
Allergen Information
Contains wheat (gluten), eggs, and dairy (butter). Check ingredient labels if you need to avoid allergens.
Nutritional Information
Each bar contains approximately 220 calories, 8 g fat, 36 g carbohydrates, and 2 g protein.
Save The zing of lemon and warm spices make these bars irresistible for sharing—or enjoying with your favorite warm drink.