Brazilian-Style Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (or 1 stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, divided
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 20 chewy/soft caramels
- 1 can NESTLÉ® LA LECHERA® Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Start by preheating oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8 x 8-inch baking pan with no-stick spray, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Prepare the cookie dough: using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine butter and sugars, mixing just until creamy.
- Add molasses, egg, flour, spices, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and baking soda. Beat the mixture on medium speed until homogeneous.
- Spread half of the batter in an even layer in the prepared pan, using your hands if necessary; reserve.
- Meanwhile prepare the dulce de leche filling. In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt caramel until mostly smooth.
- Stir in ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk until obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Pour dulce de leche filling on top of the cookie batter, spreading gently in an even layer.
- Then, drop flattened pieces of the remaining cookie batter on top of the filling until they mostly cover the dulce de leche filling.
- Bake for about 20-23 minutes, transfer pan to a rack, and let cool for 10-15 minutes before topping with chocolate ganache.
- While cooling, make the ganache. Mix remaining sweetened condensed milk with chocolate chips in another microwave safe bowl and heat for about 90 seconds.
- Stir in until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth and has thickened. Mix in ½ teaspoon of vanilla and spread over the baked cookie batter.
- Let set in the refrigerator for at least 30-50 minutes, cut into squares, and decorate as desired. Enjoy with a cup of hot chocolate!
Recipe Notes
- Store these Gingerbread Cookie Bars in a clean airtight container for up to 3-4 days, either at room temp or in the refrigerator.
- Love Gingerbread? Try its cousin, pao de mel .
Nutrition
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