Name: High Altitude Gingerbread Bars with White Chocolate Drizzle
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup salted butter (6 oz, 1 1/2 sticks), melted (see Note); 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar (dark preferred but light is ok too!); 2 TB molasses; 3 tsp finely grated fresh ginger (see Note); 1 tsp freshly grated orange zest; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 TB vanilla extract (not imitation); 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground allspice; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1/2 cup white chocolate (chopped or chips), for drizzling

Description

Chewy, crackly, and spicy, these High Altitude Gingerbread bars are indulgently buttery, with a creamy white chocolate drizzle.

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup salted butter (6 oz, 1 1/2 sticks), melted (see Note)
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar (dark preferred but light is ok too!)
2 TB molasses
3 tsp finely grated fresh ginger (see Note)
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 TB vanilla extract (not imitation)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup white chocolate (chopped or chips), for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter an 8×8 metal pan and line with parchment paper (the butter helps it stick!)
In a large bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and fresh ginger and mix until thoroughly combined. If the butter is still very hot, allow mixture to cool slightly before adding the eggs.
Whisk in eggs until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in vanilla and orange zest.
Add flour, baking powder and ground spices and mix well.
Scrape batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 mins, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then, using the parchment to lift the bars out, continue cooling on a wire rack.
Carefully cut into bars of desired size (I find 5×5 cuts – 25 bars – to be the perfect “two-bite” size).
Place the white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and microwave on high for 30-seconds, then stir and continue to microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring in between each, until fully melted.
Using a spoon or plastic squeeze bottle, drizzle the melted chocolate on the bars. Allow the chocolate to cool and set fully before storing or stacking the bars.

The bars will keep well in a sealed container for up to a week.

Notes

… if you are using a glass baking pan, you may need to add 5-10 minutes to your baking time.

… if you prefer to use unsalted butter, add 1 tsp kosher salt along with the flour and spices.

… if you have a Trader Joe’s near you, I highly recommend the frozen cubes of fresh grated ginger sold in the freezer section!