Gingerbread brownies are fudgy chocolate brownies spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, with molasses for a deep gingerbread flavor. Baked in a 9x9 pan and dusted with powdered sugar. Ready in thirty minutes.
I make these every December when I want a holiday dessert that is not another cookie. The molasses and cocoa sound strange together until you try them. The flavors work well together.
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Why These Gingerbread Brownies Work
Molasses and cocoa belong together. Molasses is deep and slightly bitter. Cocoa is rich and earthy. Combined, they make a brownie that tastes darker and more complex than a standard chocolate brownie. Unsulphured molasses is the one you want. It is lighter and less harsh than blackstrap.
The spice blend matters. Ginger leads, cinnamon backs it up, cloves add warmth. Three spices. No nutmeg, no allspice. The gingerbread flavor is clean and straightforward.
Do not overbake. Fifteen to twenty minutes at 350°F in a 9x9 pan. Check with a toothpick at fifteen minutes. A few moist crumbs on the toothpick means fudgy brownies. A clean toothpick means cakey brownies. Pull them when you see moist crumbs.
Powdered sugar dusting keeps it simple. These do not need frosting. A dusting of powdered sugar on cooled brownies looks clean and lets the gingerbread flavor stand. If you want frosting, a quick cream cheese frosting works. Beat softened butter and cream cheese with vanilla, then beat in powdered sugar until creamy.
Cool completely before slicing. Warm brownies crumble. The molasses keeps them soft while they cool but the structure sets as they come to room temperature.
How to Make Gingerbread Brownies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with baking spray or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Once melted, stir in the molasses and granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs until just combined.
Mix in the cocoa powder until no streaks remain. Gently stir in the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick at 15 minutes. A few moist crumbs means done. Do not overbake.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the brownies by lifting the parchment paper or inverting the pan if using baking spray. Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and slice.
Quick Tips
- Do not overbake. Check at 15 minutes. Moist crumbs on the toothpick means fudgy.
- Use unsulphured molasses. Blackstrap is too harsh.
- Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. Warm brownies will melt the sugar.
- Line the pan with parchment. Overhang on the sides makes lifting easy.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If frosted with cream cheese frosting, store in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Freeze brownies individually wrapped in plastic wrap, then placed in a freezer bag, for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.
More Holiday Recipes
For more holiday baking, try my gingerbread cupcakes with spiced cream cheese frosting. My gingerbread crinkle cookies are soft, crackly, and perfect for cookie boxes.
📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Brownies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter - melted
- ⅓ cup unsulphered molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- powdered sugar - for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat at 350º F and spray a 9x9 baking dish with baking spray or line the dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.
- Once melted, mix in the molasses and granulated sugar.
- Beat in the eggs until just combined.
- Mix in the cocoa powder until mixed.
- Gently stir in the bowl of dry ingredients until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan, spreading it evenly throughout the pan.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Check the center with a toothpick to ensure that they are done. Don't overbake or they will come out dry.
- Carefully remove the brownies from the pan by either inverting the pan to remove the brownies if using baking spray or using the parchment paper to gently lift them out of the pan.
- Allow the gingerbread brownies to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar and slicing.
Notes
- Do not overbake. Check at 15 minutes. Moist crumbs on the toothpick means fudgy.
- Use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap.
- Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.
- Store at room temperature up to 4 days. Refrigerate if frosted with cream cheese frosting.
- Freeze individually wrapped up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
The recipe calls for granulated sugar but the instructions don't say when to add it. The instructions also say to add salt to the dry ingredients but it is not listed in the ingredients. I made the adjustments and they were delicious!
Whoops! I'm added the sugar and salt in the appropriate spots. I'm so glad you like them!