Description
Imagine chewy gingerbread cookie dough meeting a rich, chocolatey brownie layer — a festive mashup that’s cozy, gooey, and downright irresistible. These Gingerbread Brownies bring together the best of both worlds for a dessert that tastes just like the holidays!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Gingerbread Cookie Layer
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup (66 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (85 g) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature (save the white for the brownie batter)
- 1⅓ cups (167 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Fudgy Brownie Layer
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (128 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 large egg + 1 egg white, at room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or neutral oil
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (22 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep Your Pan
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Make the Gingerbread Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the butter and brown sugar together until the mixture looks pale and fluffy — about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the molasses and mix until combined, then add the egg yolk and blend again until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add this dry mix to the butter mixture, stirring just until no streaks of flour remain. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything is fully incorporated. Set the dough aside while you make the brownie layer.
- Make the Brownie Batter
- Melt the butter and chocolate chips together in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until the mixture is silky smooth. Let it cool slightly — you don’t want to scramble your eggs later!
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, egg white, and brown sugar until well blended and slightly frothy (about a minute). Slowly mix in the melted chocolate mixture, then stir in the oil, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix just until you no longer see flour.
- Assemble the Layers
- Spread a thin, even layer of brownie batter over the bottom of your prepared pan.
- Scoop small portions of the gingerbread dough and drop them over the brownie layer, flattening them lightly with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
- Repeat this layering process until you’ve used up both batters.
- Bake to Gooey Perfection
- Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 25–35 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble.
- A toothpick should come out with a few fudgy crumbs — that’s when you know they’re perfect!
- Tip: Don’t overbake these — the gooey middle is what makes them so good.
- Cool and Slice
- Allow the brownies to cool in the pan until they’re sturdy enough to lift out using the parchment paper. Move them to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.
- For clean, bakery-style squares, use a warm knife (dip in hot water and dry between cuts).
- Cut into 9 large squares or 16 smaller ones — your call!
Notes
- Slice Smart: For neat edges, let the bars cool fully before cutting. A warm knife makes all the difference.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.
- Serving Idea: These are incredible with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Calories: 283 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 102 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 54 mg