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These vegan gingerbread bars are sweet, sticky, easy to make, and wonderfully festive.
These gingerbread cookie bars have a nice, soft texture. Sometimes vegan baking can yield some unexpected results, but I was really happy with how these turned out. They’re soft, moist, and have a pleasant gingerbread flavor.
You can cut these bars into squares like I did, but I also think that this recipe would be great if you use a spoon to scoop it out of the pan when it’s still warm and then top it with some ice cream. *mouth waters* I snuck a few spoonfuls before these cooled completely. Not sorry.
I dusted these gingerbread bars with a little bit of icing sugar for the photos, but that’s totally optional. These are pretty sweet already, so I didn’t think a glaze/icing was necessary.
I can and can’t believe it’s mid-December already. The days often seem to go by slowly, but then another month is over and I wonder where it went. I think most of my Christmas shopping is done now, at least. 😛
I’ve teamed up with a few of my blogger friends to bring you some more delicious Christmas cookie recipes. A virtual cookie exchange if you will! You can check them out to get some ideas:
What Should I Make For · Ugly Sweater Gingerbread Cookies
The Sweet Nerd · Gingerbread Cookies – All Spruced Up
Girl Heart Food · Orange Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies
The Beach House Kitchen · Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Beyond Mere Sustenance · Brandy-Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate
Seasons & Suppers · Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Ciao Chow Bambina · Lemon Drop Italian Cookies
Contemplating Sweets · Hedgehog Cookies
The Busy Spatula · S’mores Cookies
Meg is Well · Bradshaw Cookies: A Sour Cream Cookie with Cream Cheese Frosting
A few tips for this recipe:
- Be sure to grease the pan well and/or put foil in it (and grease the foil too) to make it easier to get the bars out.
- It’s hard to wait, but let the pan cool fully (at least an hour) before you cut the bars.
- If the bars sink in the middle a little bit, don’t worry – that’s quite normal for this type of recipe. Don’t over-mix the batter and that may help a bit.
Hope you enjoy these Christmas gingerbread bars!
Questions? Ask me in the comments below!
Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup fancy molasses
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the vegan butter to a large mixing bowl and melt it in the microwave. Set aside to cool.
- Make your flax egg and set aside at least 10 minutes to thicken.
- Preheat oven to 350F, move the rack to the middle of the oven, and grease an 8x8 pan (I used cooking spray).
- Add the vanilla, sugar, and molasses to the mixing bowl with the butter in it. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, combine until the mixture is smooth (don't over-mix).
- Mix in the flax egg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl (flour, baking powder, ground spices, and salt), and mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into your baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the pan cool on a cooling rack and do not cut the bars until the pan has fully cooled (at least an hour). Store bars in a cool place in an airtight container.
Notes
- If the bars sink in the middle a little bit, don't worry - that's quite normal for this type of recipe.
- Ground flaxseed is also labeled as flaxseed meal sometimes.
- Make sure you spoon & level the flour vs. scooping it so you don't end up with too much.
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You may also like some of my other festive vegan recipes: vegan sugar cookies or my cranberry vegan mini cheesecakes.
Looks very yummy! May I ask what type flour you used? I would love to make gluten free just in case …what would you recommend?
Hi Nancy! Thank you. I just used all-purpose flour. Hmm… I confess I’m not exactly an expert at adjusting baking recipes to be gluten-free. I don’t feel comfortable recommending a substitute without doing some testing first. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful. Let me know if you do successfully make them gluten-free. I’m sure my readers would appreciate knowing what you did. 🙂
The brand Cup4Cup is AMAZING for switching out flours. It’s literally one cup AP flour to one cup GF flour. I slightly refuse to use any other GF flour for this reason hehe
Thanks for the tip!!
Beautiful, tasty and super festive classic! They look so tasty!
Thanks so much!
I love the idea of serving these warm, with ice cream. Mmm!! Vegan baking can be tricky, so it’s wonderful that you found a winner! Cheers
Thanks so much!!
Ooooooh, fancy molasses sounds all kinds of fancy-schmancy! I love anything gingerbread and molasses so I’ll have to try these for when my vegan friends come over! They look incredible!
Haha… thanks. Let me know if you make them!
Love these!
Thanks!!
Yum! These look super moist and delicious!!
Thank you 🙂
I like the dusting of powdered sugar, it makes it more festive! Not that it needs to be more festive… afterall, what is more “Holiday” than gingerbread. That texture is everything!
Haha totally! Thanks, Giselle!
I’m vegan so every time I see there cookie collage I just know there’s nothing for me but I’m so glad you’ve included a delicious gingerbread recipe!
Aw that’s nice to hear! Thanks, Kendall. 🙂