Name: Gingerbread Blondies with Lemon Glaze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 15
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter; 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk; 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 teaspoon baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (plus the lemon zest); 1 large egg white (pasteurized, if you prefer)

Gingerbread blondies with lemon glaze cut into Christmas tree shapes.

This year, I only had enough energy to decorate one type of Christmas cookie. Luckily, it was my adorable Christmas Lights Cookies, and they impressed my kid so much that I think I could have phoned in the rest of the holiday baking.

I also made these Gingerbread Cut-Outs with Cranberry Glaze (cuz Camille loves the pink color!), my Christmas M&M Sugar Cookie Bars, and my Chocolate-Covered Cherry Fudge. I think that about covers it in the Christmas baking department.

So now, I can focus on the other holiday stressors, right? Like, buying gifts, gift wrapping, mailing holiday cards, oh and also: we're in the middle of moving. Did I tell you we close on our new house just a few days before Christmas? I've been stress baking a lot. A lot.

My holiday season hasn't included nearly enough gingerbread, and I knew I needed to remedy that. Gingerbread is the best holiday flavor in my opinion, and in years past, I've made gingerbread flan, a gingerbread latte, and a mini gingerbread loaf.

This year, I'm all about these gingerbread blondies with lemon glaze.

My small-batch blondies made in a 8x8" pan are practically famous (you can always trust a non-chocolate lover to make incredible blondies), and with the addition of some gingerbread spices (ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves), they're even better.

These remind me of my gooey chai bars, but slightly different with all the extra ginger and lemon glaze. I could actually eat both: a chai bar in my left hand and a stack of gingerbread blondies with lemon glaze in my right hand, and alternate bites the rest of this holiday season. Are you in?

I hope you don't mind that these serve slightly more than two people. The recipe makes 15 little 3-bite Christmas tree shapes (see the photo above for help slicing them into perfect triangles); it's still less than a big 9x13 tray of blondies but definitely more than two people can eat. I think they would make a great addition to a holiday cookie plate!

Yield: 15 Christmas Trees

Gingerbread Blondies with Lemon Glaze

Gingerbread Christmas trees with lemon icing.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

For the lemon glaze:

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (plus the lemon zest)
1 large egg white (pasteurized, if you prefer)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350, and line an 8x8” baking dish with parchment paper (or foil) both ways (leave excess on one side to use as a handle for lifting out of the pan).
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in 20 second increments.
Next, stir in the brown sugar, vanilla and salt.
Stir in the whole eggs and the egg yolk, and stir very well until incorporated.
Finally, sprinkle the flour, spices and baking powder on top, and stir until well-mixed and no streaks of flour remain.
Pour the blondie batter into the prepared pan, and bake it on the center rack of the oven for about 23 minutes, testing every few minutes after the 23 minute mark. Moist crumbs should cling to a toothpick inserted into the center, but you shouldn’t see any wet batter on the toothpick.
Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then lift the blondies out and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
To slice the blondies into triangles, follow the photo above: slice into 3 long strips, slice off the ends and then alternate the angle of the knife to cut triangles.
Once the blondies are completely cool, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and egg white. Resist the urge to add more liquid to make the glaze come together, just whisk slowly and it will all come together in a few minutes.
Drizzle the icing across the triangles. Before the icing dries, sprinkle the lemon zest on top.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 190Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 126mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 0gSugar: 29gProtein: 3g

SaveSave

Comments

Iris says

December 18, 2017 at 2:53 pm

This is genius!! Also why have I never thought about making a gingerbread flan. I’m Cuban! I should be on top of these things. I’m making that flan for noche Burma, I know it will be a hit!

Mamabearsweets says

December 19, 2017 at 10:45 am

I've already made a batch and they were gobbled up by my three year old and husband so quickly!! Im planning on making a double batch for Christmas and was curious if you think they would freeze well?

Alison says

December 22, 2017 at 5:01 am

Such a great idea! I made the glaze but it was too runny. Is that a typo and supposed to read "2 cups" as opposed to "1/2 cups"?

- Christina Lane says
  
  December 27, 2017 at 11:16 pm
  
  Yes, Alison! I'm sorry, it should 1 1/2 cups! I typed this recipe up half asleep and missed that. I'm so sorry!
  
  - Alison says
    
    April 29, 2018 at 1:09 am
    
    Thank you!
    
Nancy says

December 22, 2017 at 4:04 pm

I'm making these now and noticed that there are a bunch of spices listed that aren't mentioned in the instructions. I assume they should be whisked into the flour. If there's a step I'm missing I hope someone will let me know.

Jill says

January 01, 2018 at 2:05 pm

OMG these look so delish! And no I have not had enough sweets even though resolutions are supposed to start now. The tree light cookies are adorable too - just wish I saw them sooner. I get your posts and follow you on instagram.... so many things to love. I am going to order your books right now. It is rare that you see all good reviews on any item so I am confident they will be great! Merry Christmas to me. Thanks for all the great recipes and posts!

- Christina Lane says
  
  January 04, 2018 at 8:58 am
  
  Awww, thanks so much, Jill! <3
  
- Randi says
  
  December 07, 2021 at 1:52 pm
  
  These look great. Do you think they would be good with a vanilla or cream cheese glaze? My family does not like lemon.
  
  - Christina Lane says
    
    February 07, 2022 at 9:19 am
    
    Vanilla would be awesome!
    
Liz frerich says

December 03, 2020 at 4:27 pm

Hi! Will the glaze for these set and firm up? Or remain soft?

- Christina Lane says
  
  December 07, 2020 at 10:51 am
  
  It sets firm :)

Ingredients

For the lemon glaze:

Instructions

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

Did you make this recipe?

More Cookies and Bars

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply