Chewy & Spiced Gingerbread Blondies: The Ultimate Christmas Treat Recipe

Prepare to delight your taste buds and spread holiday cheer with these incredibly soft, dense, and chewy Gingerbread Blondies. Infused with the quintessential warm spices of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and studded with creamy white chocolate chips, these festive bars are an absolute must-bake for your Christmas celebrations. Baked perfectly in an 8×8 pan, they’re ideal for sharing on your holiday cookie trays or enjoying as a cozy treat with a warm drink.

As the magical Christmas season draws near, the scent of gingerbread spices begins to fill homes everywhere. While traditional gingerbread cookies are a beloved classic, sometimes you crave something a little different, something that offers a unique twist on familiar flavors without sacrificing that cherished holiday warmth. That’s where these exquisite Gingerbread Blondies come in!

If you’re looking for a delightful break from rolling out dough for small batch gingerbread cookies or whipping up gingerbread cookie bars, these blondies are your perfect solution. They offer all the beloved flavors of gingerbread in a gloriously soft, dense, and chewy bar format, complete with irresistible notes of caramel and deep molasses – exactly what a perfect blondie should be.

Our Gingerbread Blondie recipe takes inspiration from a classic banana blondie base, cleverly swapping the banana for rich molasses and infusing it with a symphony of gingerbread spices. The result is a bar that’s beautifully dark, almost brownie-like in appearance due to the molasses and brown sugar, yet undeniably a blondie thanks to the absence of cocoa powder and its distinct caramel-like flavor profile.

For the ultimate indulgence, we’ve opted for white chocolate chips, which melt into pockets of creamy sweetness, perfectly complementing the robust spices. However, if you’re a fan of the classic chocolate and gingerbread combination, like in our gingerbread chocolate chip cookies, semisweet chocolate chips would work just as wonderfully!

What Exactly is a Blondie?

At its heart, a blondie is a delightful dessert bar that shares many characteristics with its darker cousin, the brownie, but with a crucial difference: it foregoes cocoa powder in favor of rich brown sugar. This simple swap fundamentally changes the flavor profile, transforming what would be a chocolatey treat into a caramel and butterscotch-infused delight.

While brownies are all about deep chocolate notes, blondies celebrate the complex flavors that come from brown sugar, often enhanced by vanilla and butter. This gives them a distinct, sweet, and nutty character. Think of them as the “vanilla” or “caramel” version of a brownie. Like our peanut butter blondies, they are typically soft, incredibly dense, and wonderfully chewy, offering a satisfying bite with every square. Because brown sugar naturally contains a hint of molasses, incorporating even more molasses and a blend of warm spices to create Gingerbread Blondies feels incredibly natural and harmonious.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Gingerbread Blondies

These Gingerbread Blondies aren’t just another dessert; they’re a celebration of holiday flavors and comforting textures. Here’s why they deserve a top spot on your festive baking list:

• Irresistible Texture: Expect a bar that’s perfectly soft, densely chewy, and slightly fudgy. The melted butter in the recipe ensures a moist and delightful mouthfeel that contrasts beautifully with the slight crunch of the chocolate chips.
• Classic Holiday Spices: Each bite is a warm embrace of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. These familiar spices evoke the cozy, nostalgic feelings of Christmas, making these blondies a truly festive experience.
• Perfect Balance of Flavors: The deep, caramel notes from the brown sugar and molasses provide a rich base, beautifully complemented by the vibrant spices and the sweet creaminess of white chocolate chips. It’s a symphony of sweet and spice that’s utterly addicting.
• Easy to Make: This recipe is designed for simplicity. With straightforward steps and common pantry ingredients, you can have a batch of these glorious blondies ready in no time, making them ideal for busy holiday schedules.
• Crowd-Pleaser: Whether for a holiday party, a potluck, or a simple family gathering, these blondies are always a hit. Their festive flavor and appealing texture make them a universal favorite, perfect for sharing on cookie trays or gifting to friends and neighbors.

Key Ingredients for Perfect Gingerbread Blondies

Crafting the perfect batch of gingerbread blondies starts with understanding the role of each ingredient. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why it matters:

• Butter: We start with melted butter, which is crucial for achieving that signature chewy texture in blondies. Unlike softened butter used in many cookie recipes, melted butter prevents too much air from being incorporated, leading to a denser, more satisfying chew.
• Brown Sugar: This is the star of any blondie! Brown sugar not only sweetens the batter but also imparts those distinct caramel and butterscotch notes that define a blondie’s flavor profile. The molasses content in brown sugar contributes to moisture and richness.
• Molasses: To truly enhance the gingerbread flavor and color, we add extra molasses. Be sure to use full-flavor molasses (sometimes labeled “unsulphured”) and avoid blackstrap molasses, which has a much stronger, more bitter taste that can overpower the delicate spice balance. Molasses adds depth, moisture, and that characteristic dark hue.
• Egg: A single large egg acts as a binder, bringing the batter together and contributing to the blondies’ rich, dense structure. Using an egg preferably at room temperature helps it emulsify better with the warm butter and sugar mixture, preventing curdling and ensuring a smooth batter.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla is essential for rounding out the flavors. It enhances the sweetness of the brown sugar and beautifully bridges the gap between the warm gingerbread spices, adding an extra layer of aroma and taste.
• All-Purpose Flour: This provides the foundational structure for our blondies. It’s important to measure flour correctly (spoon and level) and avoid overmixing once added, as this can develop too much gluten, leading to tough blondies.
• Baking Powder: Our chosen leavening agent, baking powder helps the blondies rise just enough to achieve a soft, slightly airy interior while maintaining that desirable chewy density.
• Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Clove: These are the iconic quartet of gingerbread spices. Ground ginger provides its signature warmth and slight bite, cinnamon adds aromatic sweetness, nutmeg contributes a subtle earthiness, and clove delivers a deep, pungent warmth, creating a complex and inviting flavor profile.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and intensifying all the other flavors. It ensures your blondies are never bland but perfectly seasoned.
• Chocolate Chips: We recommend white chocolate chips for a sweet, creamy contrast to the spices, creating pockets of melty delight. However, semisweet or even dark chocolate chips are also fantastic choices if you prefer a bolder chocolate flavor, adding a bit of ooey-gooeyness to warm blondies.

How To Make Gingerbread Blondies: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Making these gingerbread squares is a breeze! Follow these simple steps for perfectly spiced and chewy results:

1. Prepare Your Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. This creates “handles” that will make it incredibly easy to lift the baked blondies out of the pan for clean cutting.
2. Melt the Butter: In a large, microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan on the stovetop, gently melt the butter. Once melted, remove it from the heat.
3. Whisk Wet Ingredients: To the melted butter, whisk in the brown sugar and molasses until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Then, whisk in the room temperature egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and the mixture is glossy.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground clove. Ensure there are no lumps and the spices are evenly distributed.
5. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter; overmixing can lead to tough blondies.
6. Stir in Chocolate Chips: Fold in your chosen chocolate chips (white or semisweet) until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
7. Bake to Perfection: Spread the blondie batter evenly into the prepared 8×8 inch pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The blondies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, but not wet batter. The edges should be set and lightly golden. Remember, a slightly gooey center is ideal for a chewy blondie; a completely clean toothpick indicates overbaking.
8. Cool and Cut: Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting them out using the parchment paper handles and cutting them into squares. Cooling completely ensures they set properly and are easy to cut without crumbling.

Expert Tips for the Best Gingerbread Blondies

Achieving bakery-quality blondies at home is easy with a few key tips:

• Don’t Overmix the Batter: This is perhaps the most crucial tip for any bar cookie. Once you add the flour, mix only until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops gluten, which can lead to a tough, cake-like texture rather than the desired chewy, dense blondie.
• Avoid Overbaking: Blondies are prone to drying out if baked for too long. Keep a close eye on them during the last few minutes of baking. The edges should be set, and the center should look just slightly soft. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs, not liquid batter, but also not completely clean.
• Room Temperature Egg: A room temperature egg incorporates more smoothly and evenly into the butter and sugar mixture, creating a more uniform and emulsified batter. If your egg is cold, simply place it in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
• Use Full-Flavor Molasses: As mentioned, opt for full-flavor or unsulphured molasses for the best taste. Blackstrap molasses is too strong and can impart an unwanted bitterness.
• Line Your Pan: Parchment paper is your best friend here! It prevents sticking and makes lifting the cooled blondies out of the pan incredibly easy, allowing for neat, clean cuts.
• Cool Completely: Patience is key! Resist the urge to cut into warm blondies. They need time to cool completely and set properly, which enhances their chewiness and prevents them from falling apart when sliced.
• Adjust Spices to Your Liking: The spice blend provided offers a classic gingerbread profile. Feel free to slightly increase or decrease any single spice to match your personal preference for warmth and intensity.

Creative Variations and Customizations

While these gingerbread blondies are perfect as is, they are also incredibly versatile! Feel free to experiment with these ideas to make them your own:

• Nutty Add-ins: If you love a crunch, swap half or all of the chocolate chips for chopped walnuts or pecans. They add a wonderful texture and complement the warm spices beautifully.
• Extra Chewy Bites: Fold in finely diced candied ginger for an extra pop of ginger flavor and a delightful chewy texture.
• Dried Fruit: Dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots can add a tart contrast that brightens the rich flavors of the blondies.
• Glaze it Up: For an extra touch of sweetness and moisture, drizzle a simple vanilla glaze (powdered sugar, milk/cream, and vanilla extract) over the cooled blondies. A cream cheese frosting would also be absolutely divine!
• Different Chocolate: Instead of white chocolate, try milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even a mix of different chocolate chips for varied flavor profiles.

Storing Your Gingerbread Blondies

These blondies stay wonderfully fresh, making them great for making ahead or enjoying over several days.

Store leftover blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you want to keep them longer, they freeze exceptionally well. Wrap individual bars or the entire cooled slab tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Perfect Serving Suggestions

These Gingerbread Blondies are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways:

• Holiday Cookie Tray Staple: Their festive look and taste make them a perfect addition to any Christmas cookie assortment.
• Warm & Cozy Treat: Serve them slightly warm with a glass of cold milk, a mug of hot coffee, a spiced latte, or even a festive cup of eggnog.
• Dessert Indulgence: For an extra special treat, warm a blondie slightly and serve it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

More Gingerbread Recipes to Love

If you’re loving the festive flavors of this gingerbread blondies recipe, be sure to explore these other delightful gingerbread creations:

• No Bake Gingerbread Pie
• Gingerbread Cheesecake
• Small Gingerbread Cake

Originally published December 19, 2013, and lovingly updated for enhanced flavor and clarity.