Fasten your apron strings and meet your new favorite festive treat – Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Bars with Rum! This ain’t your grandma’s gingerbread, oh no. Moist, spiced gingerbread is intertwined with rich, velvety dark chocolate, and a playful dash of rum that will make your taste buds dance with joy.
Whether you’re an ace with the oven or a baking newbie, our step-by-step guide will soon have you whipping up these scrumptious bars. So, ready to add a dash of delicious to your Christmas repertoire? Let’s get baking!
Love gingerbread flavors? Don’t forget to check out my chewy ginger cookies, gingerbread fudge, and even gingerbread magic bars.
Why You’ll Love Rum Infused Chocolate Gingerbread Bars
- Moist, pillowy soft and oh-so-addictive. You’ll be licking every crumb off your plate.
- Plenty of gingerbread warmth with a few extra spices, pockets of rich chocolate, and a hint of rum for added decadence.
- No complicated decorations or processes, making it perfect for home cooks of all skill levels.
- A twist on the classic Christmas dessert, these unique bars will stand out on any Christmas dessert platter.
What You’ll Need:
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Ground spices (ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon)
- Salt
- Canola oil
- Dark brown sugar
- Sour cream
- Unsulfured molasses
- Dark rum
- Egg
- Dark chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar for serving
Supplies:
- 9×9 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Mixing spoon
- Sifter
Step-by-Step Directions:
To make things even easier for you, I created a simple photo guide below. For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Prepare Your Pan
Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare a 9×9 inch metal pan with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Brush parchment paper with 1/2 tablespoon of melted butter and dust with 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder. Set aside.
Make the Batter
Step 3 – In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder, baking soda, flour, spices, and salt. Whisk together, making sure there ingredients are smooth and there are no lumps. Set aside.
Step 4 – Place cubed butter in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high until butter is melted, about 30-40 seconds.
Step 5 – In a large bowl, whisk together oil, butter, and brown sugar.
Step 6 – Add sour cream, molasses, and rum. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Mix in egg until just combined.
Step 7 – Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in batches. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 8 – Fold in chocolate chips and pour into the prepared pan.
Bake Until Set
Step 9 – Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the center of the batter is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting. Use a sifter to dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Essential Tips
Don’t skip these tips – read them before starting to avoid any potential mistakes.
- Lining the pan with parchment paper means you can easily lift the bars out when they’re done.
- If you can, opt for non-melting powdered sugar so that gorgeous white dusting doesn’t dissappear.
- For best results, use a metal pan. Want to see why? Check out this comparison of metal vs. glass pans when baking.
- Worried about the rum? Most of the alcohol will burn off while it cooks, and what’s left will evaporate over time, leaving nothing but delicious flavor.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter, or your bars may end up tough instead of soft.
- Want to take it up another notch? Drizzle with a bit of white chocolate and sprinkles or add a dollop of spiced whipped cream on top for a little extra indulgence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Believe it or not, the measurements are correct. The recipe calls for a small amount of flour, so the bars have a moist and fluffy texture. Trust the recipe and do not add additional flour or the texture and consistency of the bars may be affected.
Yes, you can use light brown sugar instead of dark brown. The bars will have a slightly different flavor and may be lighter in color.
Yes, you can use any type of chocolate chips you prefer.
However, using dark chocolate chips adds a richer and more intense flavor to the bars. If using milk chocolate chips, the taste may be slightly sweeter and less intense. It is ultimately up to personal preference which type of chocolate chip to use.
How to Avoid Dry Gingerbread Bars
There can be a few reasons why your bars turn out dry, but the most common culprits are over mixing and over baking:
- Over-mixing can result in a tougher, drier texture because the gluten in the flour over develops and creates a dense batter.
- Over-baking can also lead to dryness, as the bars continue to cook and dry out even after being taken out of the oven. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is at the proper temperature, and start checking your bars for doneness about 5-10 minutes before the recommended time.
Giving these away as gifts?
These delicious bars make a fantastic holiday hostess gift, but they’ll turn hard and dry if you don’t handle them right. Make sure to gift them right away, as they’re best within the first two days, and make sure to put them in a properly sized airtight container. (See storage tips for details)
Of course, presentation matters too, so you don’t want to forget to add a sweet printable tag like these to your gift so your friends and family know exactly how much they mean to you.
How to Store Your Gingerbread Bars
These chocolate gingerbread bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
Here are some tips to keep them fresh and moist:
- Cover the top of the bars with parchment paper before sealing the container.
- Make sure your container is the correct size. If it’s too big, there will be too much air inside, causing the bars to dry out.
- Wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap before placing them in the container for added protection.
To Freeze:
Wrap the bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a solid airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
If you liked my Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Bars with Rum, you’re going to love my Holiday Truffles with a Boozy Twist. They’re the perfect bite-sized indulgence for any holiday party or cozy night in.
Or you can check out my other Christmas desserts recipes here.
Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Bars with Rum
Indulge in a festive treat with our Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Bars! A moist, spiced, rum-infused delight for the perfect Christmas dessert.
Ingredients
For the Pan
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder
For the Gingerbread Bars
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare a 9×9 inch metal pan with parchment paper.
- Brush parchment paper with 1/2 tablespoon of melted butter and dust with 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup cocoa powder, baking soda, flour, spices, and salt. Whisk together, making sure there ingredients are smooth and there are no lumps. Set aside.
- Place 4 tablespoons cubed butter in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high until butter is melted, about 30-40 seconds.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil, butter, and brown sugar.
- Add sour cream, molasses, and rum. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Mix in egg until just combined.
- Add flour and cocoa mixture to wet ingredients in batches, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chips and pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the center of the batter is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
Remember, the step-by-step photos and FAQ in the recipe post are there to help you if you feel stuck at any point.
- Lining the pan with parchment paper means you can easily lift the bars out when they're done.
- If you can, opt for non-melting powdered sugar so that gorgeous white dusting doesn't dissappear.
- For best results, use a metal pan.
- Most of the alcohol will burn off while it cooks, and what's left will evaporate over time, leaving nothing but delicious flavor.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter, or your bars may end up tough instead of soft.
- Want to take it up another notch? Drizzle with a bit of white chocolate and sprinkles or add a dollop of spiced whipped cream on top for a little extra indulgence.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This post was originally published on December 9, 2016. It has been updated with new photos, process steps, and extra tips and FAQ.
Rita says
Such lovely colors and yummy. Really good. Thanks for this Fiesta Friday treat. Happy Holiday!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a fun dessert to make for the holidays with kids!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Amanda says
Hi there-the ingredient list mentions ginger twice–once as ‘ground ginger’ and then a few lines later simply ‘ginger’. Could you clear up this confusion?
Leslie says
🤦♀️ I apologize for the mistake. The ingredients list is corrected to show only 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
Barb says
This is soooo good, thanks for sharing, my new favorite!