These soft & chewy ginger molasses blondies are packed with all of your favourite gingerbread and Christmas flavours. These buttery blondies are easy to make and are generously drizzled with a delicious warm brown sugar maple glaze. They’re made using just one bowl and with the most basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Wrap them up in some parchment paper to make the most delicious treats for any and all cozy weather occasions. They are perfect treat to enjoy at a Sunday brunch or a tea party with friends and family during the Holidays!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Unsalted Butter: You will need melted browned butter for making these blondies. It is very important to cool the butter once browned. I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
- Brown Sugar: You will need dark brown sugar to make this recipe as it adds to chewiness and better overall flavour. Brown sugar helps to add moisture, softness & chewiness to the blondies. If you’re in a fix you can swap this for packed light brown sugar.
- Eggs: Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing in. Eggs strengthen the binding of your bakes and also add moisture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix thoroughly in your blondie batter. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
- Molasses: Be sure to use unsulphured molasses and not blackstrap molasses!
- Vanilla: I highly recommend that you use a high quality, pure vanilla extract. This helps in giving a rich flavor to your baked goods. Pure vanilla extracts are typically dark brown in color. This enhances the flavor of all ingredients and you should never leave this out.
- All purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Ground Cinnamon: You will need ground cinnamon to not only add to these blondies but also to make cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top of them.
- Ground Nutmeg: A small amount of nutmeg along with cinnamon helps to bring out its flavours even more and add depth to them. I don’t recommend leaving this out.
- Ground Ginger: You will need ground ginger to add to these blondies. Spices help to add a warm flavour to baked goods making them perfect for the cozy weather.
- All spice: You will need all-spice powder to add to these blondies. Spices help to add a warm flavour to baked goods making them perfect for the cozy weather.
- Ground cloves or cardamom: A pinch of ground cloves or ground cardamom helps to enhance the flavour of all these spices and goes very well with these blondies.
- Leaveners: You will only need baking powder to make this recipe. (No baking soda)
- Kosher salt: Adding a pinch of salt helps to balance out the flavours in the blondies. I have added sea salt for a little extra flavour however you can use normal iodised salt too.
- Heavy Cream: You will need high-fat heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make a smooth and silky glaze. If you’re using low-fat cream, make sure to drain out the water content from it before starting.
- Maple Syrup: You will need around 1 tablepsoon of maple syrup to make this glaze.
- Powdered Sugar: You will need powdered of confectioners’ sugar to add to your brown sugar maple caramel glaze. It mixes in your glaze like a breeze and leaves no grainy lumps at all!
FAQ
Along with giving you the comfort of cozy gingerbread molasses cookies in a very easy cookie bar, these blondies require only a couple of bowls and no mixers. All you need is a whisk and a spatula or a wooden spoon. These blondies are almost too easy to make. It’s no wonder they are on repeat in my kitchen. Just stir the wet ingredients together, add in the dry and bake! That’s it!! There are no special baking skills required. They’re always a crowd pleaser and honestly, you really have no excuse to not make them!
Place unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. You will need to start with a few extra tablespoons to account for water evaporation. As it melts, swirl the pan to encourage even cooking. After it is fully melted, it will start to foam up and then it will start to form big bubbles like it’s boiling. You should be able to see the fat solids begin to separate. Then it will foam up again, and the fat solids will start browning. Continue cooking for another minute or so until the butter is evenly golden, the fat solids are brown, and it gives off a nutty aroma and a crackling sound. Transfer the brown butter to a bowl for immediate use, or place in the fridge to solidify again.
Regular dark molasses gives these cookies a deep, robust flavor without being too overpowering. For a rich flavor that combines nicely with the warm spices, I recommend using unsulphured molasses. Generally speaking, I do not bake with blackstrap molasses as I find the flavor a bit too bold and slightly bitter.
There is a slight flavor difference between molasses and my Homemade Molasses Substitute, as the flavor cannot be exactly replicated. The purpose of this substitute is to provide whatever you’re baking with the same texture as molasses, that moist dense chew. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, add 2 cups dark brown sugar, 3/4 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Once the sugar dissolves, turn down the heat and let the syrup simmer steadily until it becomes a slightly thick syrup that drips off your spatula slowly. This will takes just 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t worry if you think it is a bit runny at this stage because as it cools it will get thicker. Use this molasses substitute in any recipe in place of molasses. It will last 3-4 months in an airtight container at room temperature. After a while, if you notice it hardens, heat it back up again to dissolve the granules. It makes 1 1/2 cups of molasses substitute.
To make these blondies, firstly preheat oven. Then, you will need to melt and cool the butter. Add in all the wet ingredients until combined. Then stir in all the dry ingredients and mix. Do not over mix. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the blondie batter evenly. Create swirls with the back of a knife if desired. Bake blondies and keep an eye on them towards the end of the cook time. Do not overbake. Cool bars and frost generously with cream cheese frosting or the infamous cinnamon roll icing if you may!
You’ll want to take these blondies out of the oven when they are golden brown around the edges and have puffed up in the middle, but the center of the pan should still be relatively underdone. For me this took about 25 minutes, but you’ll want to start checking them at 20 minutes and keeping an eye on them from there because every oven is different. These blondies will continue to bake as they cool.
They are so irresistible that you’ll probably not have any leftovers. However, if you do, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto 5 days. You can also stash away any leftovers in the freezer. Tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and then seal in a plastic freezer bag for maximum freshness. Defrost the squares at room temperature for a quick and delicious treat when the craving strikes.
You can either glaze these blondies with the butterscotch maple glaze I have mentioned below or you can alternatively do a white chocolate glaze. Melt white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Stir vigorously every 20 seconds until completely melted. Drizzle over cooled blondies and enjoy gingerbread white chocolate blondies!
Tips to make the best chewy ginger molasses blondies:
Blondies, like homemade brownies, are meant to be soft and gooey on the inside with crisp, chewy edges. They are crazy simple to make and they’re almost impossible to mess up. There are however a few universal truths when it comes to making foolproof blondies that you’ll need to keep in mind:
- Use melted brown butter. Melted butter is so important to make these blondies as it adds a chewy and tender flavour to them. Melted butter in my opinion is always a bonus. No need to let it sit out to reach room temperature and no need for any mixer at all.
- Let the butter cool. Although using melted butter has its perks, you will need to wait for the butter to cool off a bit once melted and browned. Let it cool for around 10-15 minutes atleast.
- Do not hold back on the spices. I know, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger and and a teaspoon ground cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice might sound a lot at first and leave you holding back from adding them. I get it that you’re sceptical. Trust me friends, they blend in so well in these blondies and give them the perfectly cozy winter flavours you’re looking for!
- Measure the flour carefully. Too much flour in the mix is the number one reason why blonide recipes fail. Excess flour makes cookies {and most other baked goods} dry and gummy. Carefully spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with the flat edge of a knife. Whatever you do, don’t scoop the flour directly from the bag or container with the measuring cup as it causes the flour to be packed in too tightly.
- Do not over mix the batter. Over mixing can stimulate too much gluten to form which creates a dense, gummy and dry blondie. Once you add the dry ingredients, keep the stirring to a minimum and resist the urge to continue mixing. A few streaks of flour remaining is perfectly acceptable!
- Line the pan with parchment. This tip makes your life so much easier when it comes time to cut the blondies. Just pull up on the parchment for an easy release from the pan. Works like a charm every time!
- Do not over bake. Blondies should always be slight under baked. Period. They will continue to bake as they cool. Over baked blondies are the absolute worst. They are dry and gummy, and I’d hate for you to mess up these delicious bars.
- Cool completely before slicing. If you want crisp, sharp edges you’ll need to cool the blondies completely before slicing. But if you want to eat these blondies warm straight out of the pan, you can totally do so too. Soft, warm and gooey blondies are golden!
HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM THIS RECIPE?
All of the recipes on the blog are thoroughly tested multiple times and carefully designed so that anyone can reproduce these delicious baked good in their own kitchen and enjoy them to the fullest. The only way to make this possible is when anyone can exactly replicate the measurements and temperatures.
- In order to standardise the way ingredients are measured, I highly recommend that you weigh them in grams. Volume measurements are nearly not as accurate and have a lot of scope for errors. To precisely be able to replicate the recipes, all you will need is a kitchen scale!
- Every oven heats up differently. Your oven might be over heating or under heating by around 50 degrees or more and you might not even know. In order to ensure that you are baking at the right temperatures, I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer!
If you would still like to bake using volume measurements, I mentioned those below. However, I primarily test my recipes in grams and cannot promise the best results if you do so. Trust me, once you’ll start using these tools you’d never want to go back!
I hope you’ll enjoy these easy ginger molasses blondies this Christmas and don’t forget to bookmark this recipe for the holidays. This scrumptious dessert is perfect to celebrate any occasion with friends and family!
Happy Christmas Baking!
PrintChewy Ginger Molasses Blondies
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 blondies 1x
Description
These chewy ginger molasses blondies are packed with all of your favourite gingerbread and Christmas flavours. These buttery blondies are easy to make and are generously drizzled with a delicious warm brown sugar maple glaze.
Ingredients
Ginger Molasses BLONDIES
- 227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 175g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 85g (¼ cup) unsulphured (not blackstrap) molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 281g (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves or cardamom
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
CINNAMON SUGAR
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
BRown Sugar MAPLE GLAZE
- 56g (¼ cup) unsalted butter
- 67g (⅓ cup) dark brown sugar
- 60ml (¼ cup) heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 80g (⅓ cup) powdered or confectioner’s sugar, sifted
Instructions
GINGER MOLASSES BLONDIES
- Start by making the brown butter. In a small saucepan, heat 290g of unsalted butter over medium heat for several minutes, swirling to even out the color. The butter will be ready once the fat solids have separated and darkened, and the butter is an even medium amber color.
- Weigh out 227g of the brown butter in a large bowl. If you are short a few grams, just add regular unsalted butter or water to make up the difference.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a 8×8 metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, add the butter. Heat it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds until completely melted.
- Add in the dark brown sugar to it. Whisk together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs , molasses and vanilla. Whisk together until completely combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, all spice, ground cloves or cardamom, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in the dry ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, mix and fold it in the wet ingredients. Do not overmix. A few streaks of flour remaining is perfectly okay.
CINNAMON SUGAR
- In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and granulated sugar and combine until all the sugar particles are evenly coated.
ASSEMBLY
- Spread the batter evenly onto the prepared baking pan evenly. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the blondie batter evenly.
- Bake the blondies at 350ºF (177ºC) for 20-25 minutes until they start leaving the edges of the pan. They will still be gooey in the middle and undone. Blondies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- Allow blondies to cool completely before slicing. They continue to bake as they cool.
BROWN SUGAR MAPLE GLAZE
- While the blondies are cooling, add brown sugar to a heavy bottomed saucepan and start melting it on medium-low heat.
- Stir continuously until all the sugar has completely melted.
- Add in cubes of butter, around two at a time and stir vigorously. The mixture will bubble when you do so. Repeat until all the butter is incorporated.
- Add in the maple syrup, salt and vanilla. Stir vigorously until thoroughly combined.
- Now, add in around half of the cream and stir vigorously again. The mixture will bubble even more at this point. Remove from heat and add in the other half. Stir again until thoroughly combined. The glaze will now be thick.
- Lastly, add in the powdered sugar. Mix using a silicone spatula until combined. The glaze will thicken as it cools. Allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer the glaze to a piping bag and cut off the tip. Drizzle the warm glaze over the cooled blondies and allow to set. The glaze sets as it cools. Store leftover glaze in a mason jar in the refrigerator for upto a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Christmas
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chewy ginger molasses blondies, gingerbread blondies, brown butter blondies
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