These gingerbread brownies have a spiced gingerbread cookie bottom, a rich fudgy brownie in the middle, and adorable cut out gingerbread man shapes on top. They're the perfect, festive holiday and Christmas brownies. So fudgy and packed full of spice, molasses and rich chocolate flavor! You never have to decide between gingerbread cookies and brownies anymore, especially because you can decorate these just like cookies.
These brownies pair well with my single serve gingerbread latte or my lemon meringue hot chocolate for a citrus twist.
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🍫 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Gingerbread brookie: Essentially a gingerbread spin on a classic brookie (aka brownie-cookie), it combines gingerbread cookie dough and brownie batter into a holiday worthy spiced - fudgy square.
- Soft gingerbread: The gingerbread cookie dough bakes up to be perfectly spiced, sweet, and so soft.
- Gingerbread men: The top gets decorated with cute gingerbread cut out cookies that you can decorate like gingerbread men!
- Brownie: You're going to want to sink your teeth into this fudgy, rich and decadent chocolate brownie.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
Molasses: You're looking for an unsulphured, baking molasses. Medium or dark will both work great. You do not want to use blackstrap molasses because it's too bitter and not sweet enough. Use leftover molasses to make my gingerbread cheesecake.
Cocoa powder: Dutch processed cocoa powder gives you the best, rich chocolate flavor. You can check the ingredients list to see if the cocoa powder is Dutch processed. Dutch processed cocoa powder will have an alkaline ingredient such as sodium carbonate, whereas natural cocoa powder shouldn't have any other ingredient than cocoa powder. I don't recommend using natural cocoa powder as the flavor won't be as intense and chocolatey.
All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom: These spices give the cupcakes that perfect gingerbread flavor. The cardamom is optional but it really adds to the flavor. You can also add a pinch of black pepper for an extra kick!
Unsalted butter: You can also use salted butter. If you do, I recommend omitting the salt in the recipe so that it doesn't get too salty.
Brown and granulated sugar: I use a mixture of dark brown and granulated sugar in the brownie batter and gingerbread cookie dough.
Semisweet chocolate chips: I love using semisweet chocolate chips for my brownie batters because they're affordable, consistent, and I usually always have them on hand.
👩🍳 How to make gingerbread brookies
Gingerbread cookie dough step by step
Step 1: In a large bowl or standmixer, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Beat well to combine until light, creamy, and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl well.
Step 2: Add the egg into the butter and sugar mixture, beat well to combine. Add vanilla extract, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom (optional). Mix well.
Step 3: Sift flour and baking soda right into the same bowl. Mix together to form a sticky dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again to ensure an even mixture.
Step 4: Transfer about half a cup of cookie dough onto parchment paper. Cover it with another piece of parchment paper and roll it out to about ¼" thick. Pop it into the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up.
Step 5: Line an 8" or 9" square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving long handles on the sides. This will allow you to lift the brownies out when they're ready. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
Remove the frozen disc of cookie dough from the freezer. Use a mini gingerbread cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread shapes. Set the cut out gingerbread cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet in the fridge. Add the cookie scraps into the rest of the cookie dough.
Step 6: Press the cookie dough into an even layer in the bottom of the lined baking pan. Set aside.
Brownie batter step by step
Step 1: Combine butter and chocolate in a saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Heat on very low heat on the stove top stirring constantly to melt. Let cool until only slightly warm- you don't want it to cook the eggs.
Step 2: In a separate large bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk well- you can do this by hand with a wire whisk.
Step 3: Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the eggs and sugar. Whisk to combine.
Step 4: Sift flour and cocoa powder into the same bowl and fold to create a brownie batter.
Step 5: Spread brownie batter evenly on top of the gingerbread cookie dough inside the baking pan.
Step 6: Top with cut out gingerbread men and bake for 32-37 minutes - until the edges are set and the middle is puffed and a little jiggly.
Step 7: Let cool completely. Use a simple icing to decorate the gingerbread men (optional) for a more festive look.
Step 8: Cut the gingerbread brownies into 9 or 16 squares and enjoy! For extra dean cuts, freeze the brownies and clean the knife before each cut.
✔️ Expert brownie tips
- Mix the brownies just right: don't overmix the brownie batter after the flour has been added. Gently mix just until it comes together and then stop mixing to prevent a tough, dry brownie.
- Don't overbake the brownies: I find that the perfect way to tell that the brownies are done is if the middle is slightly puffed and the edges are set. The toothpick test doesn't work with these brownies because they're super fudgy and the toothpick will always be covered in brownie batter unless you overbake them by quite a bit.
- Use dutch processed cocoa powder: This will give you a rich, darker, and more intense chocolate flavor to your brownies. The way that you know that it's dutch processed is if it has an alkaline ingredient such as sodium carbonate in the ingredients. If the only ingredient is cocoa powder, then that means that it's natural cocoa powder and that will yield in a lighter colored, lighter flavored brownie.
- Let the brownies chill in the fridge before cutting: This will make it easier to get crisp, clean cuts because you're cutting the brownie when it's firm.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
These gingerbread brownies are great to make ahead because they're easy to store and keep on hand for when the brownie need hits.
I like to store them in the fridge in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days, and gently reheat a slice in the oven when I want to enjoy a brownie. That way they get soft and extra fudgy again.
You can also freeze the gingerbread brownies in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 months.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes you can, just add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time on the package to account for the gingerbread cookie on the bottom.
You'll know that your brownies are baked when the top looks shiny and the middle is puffed up. The toothpick test usually doesn't work too well with brownies because unlike a cake, a brownie texture is dense and fudgy.
To save on time, you can just add all of the cookie dough at the bottom of the cake pan underneath the brownie batter. I love the look of the mini gingerbread cookies but you don't have to make them to enjoy some delicious gingerbread brownies.
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📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
Gingerbread cookie dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup molasses unsulphured and not blackstrap
- 2 teaspoons ginger ground
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ¼ teaspoon cloves ground
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom ground
- 2 cups all purpose flour 240g
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Fudgy brownie batter
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup all purpose flour 90g
- ¼ cup cocoa powder dutch processed
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream cold
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl or standmixer, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Beat well to combine until light, creamy, and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl well.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Add the egg into the butter and sugar mixture, beat well to combine. Add vanilla extract, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom (optional). Mix well.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup molasses, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- Sift flour and baking soda right into the same bowl. Mix together to form a sticky dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again to ensure an even mixture.2 cups all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Transfer about half a cup of cookie dough onto parchment paper. Cover it with another piece of parchment paper and roll it out to about ¼" thick. Pop it into the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up.
- Line an 8" or 9" square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving long handles on the sides. This will allow you to lift the brownies out when they're ready. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
- Remove the frozen disc of cookie dough from the freezer. Use a mini gingerbread cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread shapes. Set the cut out gingerbread cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet in the fridge. Add the cookie scraps into the rest of the cookie dough.
- Press the cookie dough into an even layer in the bottom of the lined baking pan. Set aside.
Brownie batter step by step
- Combine butter and chocolate in a saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Heat on very low heat on the stove top stirring constantly to melt. Let cool until only slightly warm- you don't want it to cook the eggs.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- In a separate large bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whisk well- you can do this by hand with a wire whisk.2 large eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the eggs and sugar. Whisk to combine.
- Sift flour and cocoa powder into the same bowl and fold to create a brownie batter.¾ cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder
- Spread brownie batter evenly on top of the gingerbread cookie dough inside the baking pan.
- Top with cut out gingerbread men and bake for 32-37 minutes-until the edges are set and the middle is puffed and a little jiggly.
- Let cool completely. Whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of cold whipping cream to form a thick paste. If it doesn't come together add another tablespoon of cold whipping cream. Then whisk it until it's really thick, about 10 seconds by hand. Transfer it into a piping bag or zipper bag with the end cut off and pipe borders and buttons on the gingerbread man.
- Cut the gingerbread brownies into 9 or 16 squares and enjoy! For extra dean cuts, freeze the brownies and clean the knife before each cut.1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Notes
Store them in the fridge in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days, and gently reheat a slice in the oven to make them soft and fudgy again. You can also freeze the gingerbread brownies in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 months. Tips for success:
- Don't overmix the brownie batter after the flour has been added. Gently mix just until it comes together.
- Don't overbake the brownies. They're ready when the middle is slightly puffed and the edges are set.
- Use dutch processed cocoa powder for a richer, darker, more intense flavor.
- Let the brownies chill in the fridge before cutting for crisp, clean slices.
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