Description
Smores Gingerbread Cookie Bars are a delicious holiday treat featuring a rich gingerbread base studded with semisweet chocolate chips and topped with fluffy, toasted meringue swirls. These bars combine the warm spices of gingerbread with the gooey sweetness of s’mores for a festive dessert perfect for winter gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Cookie Base
- 115 g unsalted butter, browned
- 107 g packed brown sugar
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 15 ml molasses
- 2.5 ml vanilla extract
- 170 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2.5 ml baking soda
- 5 ml ground cinnamon
- 2.5 ml ground ginger
- 1.25 ml ground allspice
- 0.6 ml ground nutmeg
- 1.25 ml salt
- 135 g semisweet chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
Meringue Topping
- 90 ml liquid egg whites
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 5 ml cream of tartar
- 2.5 ml vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Line a 9×23 cm loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang the sides for easy removal. Lightly coat with non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
- Brownbutter: Cube the unsalted butter and melt over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, stirring continuously until the butter foams and turns golden brown. Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl and allow to cool completely.
- Mix wet ingredients: Once the browned butter is cooled, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, and salt. Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, careful not to overmix.
- Add chocolate chips: Stir 135 g semisweet chocolate chips into the dough until evenly distributed.
- Bake the base: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top if desired. Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the top is mostly set.
- Cool: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the gingerbread slab to cool completely in the pan before preparing the meringue topping.
- Dissolve sugar in egg whites: Fill a saucepan with one-third water and bring to a gentle simmer. In a heatproof bowl, combine egg whites and granulated sugar. Set the bowl over the simmering water, whisking continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch.
- Whip meringue: Transfer the warm egg white mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until the meringue thickens and becomes opaque. Add cream of tartar and vanilla extract, continuing to whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Cut bars: Remove the cooled gingerbread slab from the pan and cut into 6 even bars.
- Pipe meringue: Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip with the prepared meringue and pipe decorative swirls onto each bar.
- Toast meringue: Using a kitchen torch, carefully toast the meringue swirls until they are lightly golden and slightly caramelized.
Notes
- Be careful not to overbake the gingerbread base, as it should remain moist and chewy.
- Ensure browned butter is cooled completely before mixing to prevent scrambling the egg.
- Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue safely and evenly; alternatively, you can briefly broil under a grill but watch closely.
- Make sure to dissolve sugar completely into egg whites for a stable meringue.
- This recipe yields 6 generous bars perfect for sharing during holidays.
