Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
It’s a Christmas cookie mash up – gingerbread meets chocolate chip cookie bars. Soft and chewy with warm flavors of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, these cookie bars are sure to disappear quickly.
It’s cookie season and this year I created a little mash up of sorts – gingerbread cookie meets chocolate chip cookie bars. Adding some classic gingerbread cookie spices like cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg to chocolate chip cookie batter is what it takes to create these holiday cookie bars. One additional ingredient that’s essential when making gingerbread is molasses. If you’re not familiar with this sweetener and the varieties you’ll likely find at the grocery store, let me fill you in.
Molasses is the dark brown, thick, syrupy liquid that’s made from the refining of sugarcane juice into sugar. During the sugar-making process, juice is extracted from crushed sugarcane and boiled until sugar crystals form on the top of the liquid. The crystals are removed and become sugar; the brown liquid left behind becomes molasses. Typically, sugarcane juice undergoes three boiling cycles to remove as much sugar as possible and that’s why you may see three different molasses options.
Sometimes called light, mild, or original molasses, regular molasses is the liquid that’s left behind after the first boiling of the sugarcane juice. This molasses is the sweetest (it contains the most sugar) and mildest form, it’s also the lightest in color and has the thinnest consistency. Regular molasses is used in sweet baked goods like cakes, cookies, and pies. When a recipe calls for molasses but does not specify the type, use regular molasses.
Dark molasses, also known as robust or full flavor molasses, comes from the second boiling of the sugarcane juice. Compared to regular molasses, it’s darker in color, thicker in viscosity, and less sweet because it contains less sugar. Use this type of molasses in baked beans, barbecue sauces, and in glazes that coat roasts and meatloaf. Since the flavor of dark molasses is more intense, a little goes a long way.
When the sugarcane juice is boiled for a third time, the result is blackstrap molasses. This molasses is nearly black in color and is extremely thick. It contains the least amount of sugar and has a smoky, almost bitter flavor. Use it very sparingly in savory recipes like barbecue sauces. Never use blackstrap molasses in sweet recipes or as a substitute for regular or dark molasses.
Beyond these three types of molasses, you’ll notice that this dark syrup is sold as either sulphured or unsulphured. When young, immature sugarcane is used to make molasses, sulfur dioxide is added as a preservative. Sulphured molasses can have a slight chemical taste. Unsulphured molasses is made from ripe, mature sugarcane and does not require sulfur dioxide to preserve it. This type of molasses is preferred for its cleaner, sweeter, lighter flavor. Most brands of molasses found in the grocery store are unsulphured.
From a nutritional standpoint, molasses is considered an added sugar just like granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, and corn syrup. Interestingly, unlike most added sugars, molasses does contain some nutrients including calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Blackstrap molasses, since it’s the most concentrated, contains the highest amounts of these nutrients.
Store molasses in its original jar in a cool, dark, dry place like the back of your pantry or cupboard. Excessive heat or humidity can cause mold and bacteria growth. Unopened molasses will keep for about two years after the “best buy” date. If stored properly, opened molasses will keep for a year after the “best buy” date. If you notice any off odors, discoloration, or the formation of crystals, it’s time for a new jar.
Cook’s note: To help coax this thick, sticky syrup from measuring cups and spoons, spray them with cooking spray or run them under hot water before adding the molasses.
To your health,
Darlene
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References:
What is Molasses? A Guide to Buying, Cooking, Baking, and Storing Molasses. Available at: https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-molasses-1328678. Accessed on December 2, 2025
GINGERBREAD CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
Yield: 24 servings
Serving Size: 1 bar
Prep: 15 minutes
Ready: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
Parchment paper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup regular (original) molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13-by-9-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla and continue to mix until well combined.
To a separate bowl, add all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt and stir until well combined.
To the sugar mixture, slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir until combined. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake 24 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, grab parchment paper liner and remove cookie from pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into 24 bars.
Nutrition Information per Serving
159 Calories, 6 g Total fat, 3 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 16 mg Cholesterol, 104 mg Sodium, 25 g Total carbohydrate, 1 g Dietary fiber, 18 g Total sugars, 18 g Added sugars, 2 g Protein, 0.1 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 20 mg (2%) Calcium, 0.9 mg (6%) Iron, 110 mg (2%) Potassium
© 2025 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
Love the breakdown on molasses types! The distinction between regular and dark molasses isnt something most recipes bother explaining, but it makes a real diferance when the texture and sweetness levels shift. That tip about spraying measuring cups before pouring is clutch too becuase nobody wants half their molasses stuck to the spoon.
These sound amazing! Gonna try them!