Yesterday, we made chocolate chip cookies for Santa. Today, we’re baking for his mischievous little elves. And apparently, they’ve developed a taste for bourbon. But can you blame them? It’s a busy season at the North Pole, and even elves need a little holiday spirit!
These were created for another group of very busy workers: the staff at my brother’s day program. His staff is phenomenal, and food is my love language, so every holiday they receive a platter of homemade treats.
This year, for Halloween, I wanted to make something beyond the usual pumpkin desserts but still full of those warm, seasonal spices. I came across Sally’s Baking Addiction Gingerbread Cookie Bars and knew they would be perfect. With a few tweaks to make them vegan and a bourbon glaze in place of the cream cheese frosting, these Bourbon-Glazed Gingerbread Cookie Bars were born!
These are soft, thick, and chewy gingerbread bars, not the light, fluffy texture of gingerbread cake. The generous layer of bourbon-infused glaze is the icing on the cake (or cookies! ). I have a feeling these will be making an appearance on our Christmas platter, with a possible Thanksgiving appearance, too!
See you tomorrow in the kitchen!
Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Bars with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
18–24 bars
350°F
9×13-inch pan
Cookie bar ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2¼ cups (281g) |
| Baking soda | 1½ tsp |
| Ground ginger | 2 tsp |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 tsp |
| Ground allspice | ¼ tsp |
| Ground cloves | ¼ tsp |
| Ground nutmeg | ¼ tsp |
| Black pepper | Small pinch |
| Salt | ¼ tsp |
| Vegan butter sticks, melted | ¾ cup (170g) |
| Dark brown sugar | ½ cup (100g) |
| Granulated sugar | ½ cup (100g) |
| Unsulphured molasses | ⅓ cup (113g) |
| Unsweetened soy milk | 3 Tbsp |
| Cornstarch | 1 tsp |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp |
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, pepper, and salt together.
- Melt the vegan butter. While still warm, whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses.
- In a small bowl, whisk the soy milk and cornstarch until smooth. Add this mixture and the vanilla to the butter mixture.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until no flour remains. The dough should be thick and slightly shiny.
- Press evenly into the prepared pan. It will look like a fairly thin layer.
- Bake for approximately 23–26 minutes, checking a little early. The top should be set but still soft, and a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan for at least 1 hour.
Bourbon Glaze
Enough for one 9×13-inch pan of gingerbread bars.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon bourbon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 teaspoons unsweetened plant milk, if needed
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk the powdered sugar, bourbon, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Add plant milk a teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick but spreadable.
- Spread over completely cooled gingerbread bars.
- Allow the glaze to set before cutting into squares.
