Each bite is a little celebration: you get that lovely crunch from the brownie edges, then the soft, chocolatey center, and finally, the sweet and spicy kick of gingerbread.
It’s like having all your favorite Christmas flavors in one amazing dessert. It’s perfect for sharing with family and friends, gifting, or just enjoying a cozy moment with a cup of hot chocolate.
Thanks to my grandma, brownies and gingerbread men have been my favorite desserts since childhood. The comforting aroma of these treats marked every visit to her house.
Her brownies were always the perfect mix of crispy edges and gooey centers, while her gingerbread men, delightfully spiced, seemed to capture the essence of Christmas.
Baking these easy gingerbread brownies now brings back those warm, cherished memories from grandma’s kitchen, where love was baked into every bite.
Ingredients Needed:
For the Brownie Batter:
- Unsalted Butter (½ cup): Adds richness and moisture to the brownies. Use unsalted butter at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (¾ cup): These provide a deep chocolate flavor. Choose chips with at least 40% cocoa butter for the best taste, or use a bar of dark chocolate chopped into pieces.
- Large Eggs (2): Eggs are crucial for structure and richness. They should be at room temperature for better incorporation into the batter.
- Light Brown Sugar (1 cup): Adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor, contributing to the moist texture of the brownies.
- Vegetable Oil (2 tablespoons): Gives the brownies a moist and tender crumb.
- All-Purpose Flour (½ cup): The main dry ingredient, providing structure to the brownies.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (¼ cup): For the cocoa powder in gingerbread brownies, I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This type of cocoa has been alkalized, giving it a smoother and more mellow flavor than regular cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa will lend a richer, deeper chocolate taste to your brownies and contribute to a tender texture.
- Salt (¼ tsp): Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
For the Gingerbread Cookie Dough:
- Unsalted Butter (½ cup): Gives the cookies their rich flavor and tender texture.
- Light Brown Sugar (⅓ cup): Adds sweetness and a molasses note, perfect for gingerbread.
- Molasses (¼ cup): A key ingredient in gingerbread, molasses gives depth of flavor and color.
- Large Egg Yolk (1): Adds richness and helps bind the dough together.
- All-Purpose Flour (1⅓ cups): Forms the base of the cookie dough.
- Gingerbread Spice Mix (2 tsp): This mix of spices gives the classic gingerbread flavor. If you don’t have a pre-made Gingerbread Spice Mix, you can easily add the seasonings separately. Simply use ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in your recipe. These spices, which make up the classic gingerbread flavor, can be blended in equal parts ginger and cinnamon, with half parts of cloves and nutmeg, and adjusted according to your taste preferences.
- Baking Powder (½ tsp): Helps the cookies rise slightly.
- Salt (⅛ tsp): Enhances the overall flavor of the cookies.
How To Make Gingerbread Brownies
Making gingerbread brownies from scratch might seem like a lot of work, but it’s quite manageable and fun, especially with a little helper. I recently made these with my 2-year-old toddler, who was eager to take on most of the tasks.
My main role was simply measuring out all the ingredients. It turned out to be a delightful activity to do together. Not only did we end up with delicious brownies, but we also created some wonderful memories in the process. It’s a great way to involve kids in the kitchen and enjoy some quality time.
This gingerbread brownie recipe involves two main steps. First, you mix together all the ingredients to make the brownie batter, creating a rich, chocolatey base. Next, you combine the ingredients to make the gingerbread cookie dough. This dough adds a wonderfully spiced and festive touch to the brownies.
Making The Gingerbread Cookies
To make the gingerbread cookies, start by creaming butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until they’re light and fluffy, which takes about 2-3 minutes.
Then mix in molasses and an egg yolk until everything’s well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, gingerbread spice, baking powder, and salt.
Slowly add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined – be careful not to overmix. Use your hand to knead the dough for 1-2 minutes or until it comes together into a ball.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This chilling makes the dough easier to roll out and cut into shapes. After chilling, roll the dough on a floured surface until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
Use cookie cutters to cut out your favorite shapes like stars, gingerbread men, or Christmas trees.
If you’re not ready to bake immediately, you can store the cut-out dough in the fridge until you’re ready.
Making The Brownies Base
To make the brownie batter, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your 8-inch square baking pan. Grease it and line it with parchment paper, making sure there’s some overhang for easy removal later.
First, melt ½ cup of unsalted butter and ¾ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can do this in a heatproof bowl, either over a pot of simmering water (like a double boiler) or in the microwave. If you’re using the microwave, remember to stir every 20 seconds until it’s all smooth. Once melted, set this mixture aside to cool down a bit.
In a large bowl, whisk together two room-temperature large eggs, 1 cup of packed light brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until they’re all smoothly mixed.
Next, fold the slightly cooled, melted chocolate and butter mixture into this egg mixture.
The final step for the batter is to add the dry ingredients. Sift ½ cup of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, and ¼ tsp of salt into the wet mix. Stir everything until it’s combined, but be careful not to overmix.
Now, your brownie batter is ready to go into the pan.
Assemble The Gingerbread Brownies
To assemble your gingerbread brownies, spread the brownie batter evenly in your prepared pan. Then, take your gingerbread cookie shapes and gently place them on top of the batter.
Arrange the cookies in the pattern you like, making sure they’re spaced out evenly. Now, it’s time to bake.
Place your pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the brownies are set on top and still a little jiggly.
After baking, let the brownies cool in the pan. When they’re cool, lift them out using the overhang of parchment paper and cut them into squares. Your gingerbread brownies are now ready to enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Vegan Gingerbread Brownies: Use plant-based butter and a suitable egg substitute, such as flax eggs, for both the brownie batter and cookie dough. Ensure your chocolate chips are vegan, too.
- Spice It Up: Add gingerbread spice mix to the brownie batter for an intense flavor.
- Nuts: Add chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans, into the brownie batter for added texture and flavor.
- Caramel: Before baking, swirl in caramel sauce over the brownie batter for a gooey, sweet addition.
- Festive Brownies: Decorate the gingerbread brownies with icing or sprinkles after baking for a more festive look.
A Few Tips
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and butter are at room temperature for both the brownie batter and cookie dough.
- Quality Chocolate: For the brownie batter, use good quality chocolate chips with a high cocoa butter content. This will give your brownies a richer flavor and better texture.
- Don’t Overmix: When combining your wet and dry ingredients for both the brownie batter and cookie dough, mix just until they are combined. Overmixing can lead to a tougher texture.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling the gingerbread cookie dough not only makes it easier to handle and shape, but it also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much when baked.
- Cookie Cutter Sizes: If using different sizes of cookie cutters for the gingerbread shapes, be mindful of their thickness and baking time. Thinner or smaller shapes will bake faster and could overcook if not monitored.
- Bake Until Just Set: Bake the brownies until they are just set on top. Overbaking can dry them out, especially around the edges.
Storage
Store any leftover brownies in an airtight container to keep them moist. They can be kept at room temperature for up to 7 days or refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
More Dessert Recipes
Gingerbread Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp gingerbread spice mix
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
Brownie Batter
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips min 40% cocoa butter
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Make the Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the molasses and egg yolk until well combined.¼ cup molasses, 1 large egg yolk
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, gingerbread spice mix, baking powder, and salt.1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp gingerbread spice mix, ½ tsp baking powder, ⅛ tsp salt
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This makes it easier to handle.
- After chilling, roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters like stars, gingerbread men, and Christmas trees.
Make The Brownies Batter
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Melt Butter and Chocolate: In a heatproof bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips together. You can do this over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) or in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth.2 large eggs, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 cup light brown sugar
- Add Chocolate Mixture: Gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix until just combined, ensuring not to overmix.½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ tsp salt
Assembling the Brownie and Cookie Dough
- Layer Brownie Batter: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer.
- Gently place the gingerbread cookie shapes on top of the brownie batter. Arrange them in your desired pattern, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the brownies are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the brownies to cool in the pan. Once cool, use the parchment paper overhang to lift them out, and cut them into squares.
Nutrition Information
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