Description
Delight in these luscious Caramel Gingerbread Cookie Bars, featuring a spiced gingerbread dough packed with warming spices, white chocolate chips, and a gooey salted caramel center. Perfectly soft and chewy with a balanced sweetness and a hint of salt, these festive cookie bars make a wonderful holiday treat or an indulgent anytime snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 190 g dark brown soft sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 275 g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1.5 tsp ground ginger
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 300 g white chocolate chips
Caramel Filling
- 200 g caramel
- Extra sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 190ºC (170ºC fan). Line a 9×9 inch square baking tin with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt butter and mix sugar: Melt the unsalted butter and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the dark brown soft sugar and whisk vigorously for two minutes until smooth and combined.
- Add egg and vanilla: Incorporate the medium egg and vanilla extract to the bowl, whisking again until fully blended.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, sea salt, cornflour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a thick cookie dough forms.
- Fold in white chocolate chips: Gently fold the white chocolate chips into the dough until evenly distributed.
- Form the base layer: Press half the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking tin using a lightly floured spatula to avoid sticking.
- Add caramel layer: Spread the caramel evenly over the cookie dough base, leaving a small gap around the edges. Sprinkle extra sea salt over the caramel if a salty-sweet contrast is desired.
- Add top layer: Break the remaining cookie dough into small lumps and distribute evenly over the caramel layer without pressing down to avoid disturbing the caramel.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes—19 minutes is ideal for a gooey center. The edges should be set and slightly golden.
- Cool and serve: Allow the baked bars to cool completely in the tin before slicing and serving.
Notes
- These cookie bars are a festive favorite combining gingerbread spices, white chocolate, and salted caramel.
- Using a lightly floured spatula helps spread the sticky dough evenly without tearing the parchment.
- Resist the urge to press the top dough layer too hard or the caramel may break through.
- Cool completely before cutting to ensure clean slices and avoid caramel oozing.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 271 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 194 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
