Chocolate Hazelnut Gingersnap Bars would make a perfect addition to any holiday baking tradition. These Christmas bar cookies are just different enough, to ensure your treats stand out, yet feature familiar holiday flavors everyone already loves. I warn you though, these chocolatey ginger cookie bars are so good it's hard to stop eating them!
Inspo: Chocolate Hazelnut Gingersnap Bars
The spark for some of the best recipes comes from happenstance. That is just how these divine Chocolate Hazelnut Gingersnap Bars came to be.
It all started one afternoon. My daughter and I had just returned from a special sensory friendly presentation of the Christmas Carol at a local theater. I'd had a headache all day, and nothing seemed to be breaking it. I promptly popped open a jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, handed a spoon of it over to my eager daughter and looked around for something I could slather some on. All I came up with was a bag of neglected gingersnaps my daughter had rejected. The combination was outstanding... and coincidentally my headache quickly faded.
I nibbled on the combination a few times since then. The pungent ginger along with the rich sweet chocolate hazelnut spread were a perfect marriage, but the cookies were a bit too hard for my liking. I decided I could create a better version of my new found treat.
What the Cookie Bars are Like
A two layered cookie bar recipe is what I came up with. A simple topping layer of chocolate hazelnut spread, melted with semi-sweet chocolate chips and a little coconut oil, makes for a smooth semi-soft fudge-like layer. This decadent layer compliments the buttery moist ginger blondie layer below, which features bits of crystallized ginger.
Preparation is easy, and not at all fussy. The gingersnap layer is mixed then spread out in a greased baking dish. The chocolate hazelnut topping is then spread evenly over the top, and the bars are left to fully cool. Once cool, the topping is just firm enough to hold it's shape if stacked, yet tender enough to bite right through along with the soft ginger blondie cookie beneath.
More Christmas Cookie Bar Recipes
Here are a few more great cookie bars to make this holiday season!
- Coconut Bars
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Brownies
- Pineapple Cheesecake Blondie Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Chocolate Hazelnut Gingersnap Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Gingersnap Cookie dough
- ¼ pound butter one stick, melted
- 1 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground dry ginger
- 3 tbs finely minced crystallized ginger
Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8X11 baking dish.
- Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, vanilla and salt. Mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and dry ginger. Combine with the dry mixture and mix well.
- Fold in the minced crystallized ginger, then spread dough into prepared baking dish and gently press to flatten out.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until center has crust and edges are not browned.
- Place ingredients for chocolate hazelnut layer in microwave-safe dish.
- Microwave for 30-40 seconds. Stir and repeat in 20-second spans until smooth. (will take 2 minutes or less).
- Spread topping over warm gingersnap cookie layer. Set aside until fully cooled and topping is semi-firm.
- Once cool, cut into 24 bars. Trim off outer edges first, if you want uniform looking bars.
Nutrition
Jeannette says
Wow - these look delicious and the combine some of my favorite flavors! I can say this recipe would disappear quickly in my home!
Alex says
These look AMAZING! I am definitely going to have to make these next week- maybe even for Thanksgiivng dessert. I will add this to my grocery list!
Pam says
These look so tasty! I love chocolate and hazelnut together. Adding ginger snaps could only make it better!
Amy Desrosiers says
These came out so beautiful! I love hazelnut and my husband LOVES ginger snaps a lot!
Alli says
I love hazelnut spread and I love gingersnaps, but I have never had the two together. Yum! This looks like the perfect bars to add to my dessert table for my Girlfriends Party I'm hosting (for 55 women!).
Megan Elford says
Oh my wow, this looks amazing! I'm bookmarking this to try as soon as is humanly possible!
Heather says
Wow, those hazelnut gingersnaps look awesome! I want to try something like this. I'm usually no good at baking in high elevation.
Miranda (Myrabev) says
These bars looks absolutely delicious and making me so hungry right now, I need to get back to baking so I can help my mum this christmas.
Jenn @ EngineerMommy says
These look sooo delicious! I love the hazelnut flavor, especially during this time of year! I have to try to make this recipe!
Wendy says
These sound really tasty. They will make a good addition to my Christmas cookie tray.
Lisa says
This sounds like a fantastic combination. I don't think I would have ever thought to put all of these ingredients together. I bet it's wonderful.
dina d. says
All I can say is yum! you combined my favorite flavors into one delicious looking treat. I can't wait to make these.
christina aliperti says
I never had chocolate with gingersnaps before but i think I would really like this. I also find some ginger cookies to be very hard so I love that you made them into a bar form.
Rebecca Swenor says
These bars looks and sound so delicious. Yummy!!! For some reason I never thought to mix gingersnaps with chocolate. I will have to try making these this holiday season.
Bonnie @wemake7 says
Mmmm those look so sweet and yummy. Thanks for the recipe I just may make some of these for the holidays.
JanetGoingCrazy says
These look delicious and so easy to make. Maybe I'll make them for my office Christmas party!
coolchillmom says
You had me a CH! Wow what a superb combination of ingredients. I might venture into making these
Susan Quackenbush says
Those little treats look absolutely delectable! I'm definitely going to have to make these for my husband! 🙂
CourtneyLynne says
Omg these gingers naps sound pretty tasty!!! Perfect holiday snack. I must give them a try 🙂