Description
Delight in the festive flavors of these Easy Gingerbread Brownies topped with a creamy Eggnog Frosting. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, these chewy brownies combine holiday warmth with rich chocolate, finished with a luscious frosting that brings a delightful holiday vibe to Christmas baking gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownies
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- â…“ cup molasses
- 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Eggnog Frosting
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2¼ cups powdered sugar, divided
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into 8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1–2 tablespoons eggnog (to thin as needed)
- Ground cinnamon (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with a large sheet of foil so it overhangs the long sides, then grease or spray the foil with a nonstick spray containing flour. Set the pan aside.
- Melt chocolate and butter: Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl, then add chopped semisweet chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes and whisk until smooth and glossy. Allow mixture to cool slightly.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with packed brown sugar. Stir in molasses, finely minced crystallized ginger, and vanilla extract until uniform. Pour in the melted chocolate-butter mixture and stir to combine.
- Incorporate dry mix: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter using a rubber spatula, mixing just until the batter comes together to avoid overworking.
- Spread and bake: Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface. Bake on the center rack for 25–30 minutes, rotating halfway through. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool brownies: Remove brownies from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Use the foil overhang to lift brownies out of the pan once cooled.
- Prepare frosting – beat butter and sugar: Beat softened butter with 1¼ cups powdered sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy (about one minute).
- Add cream cheese: Increase mixer to medium-high. Add cream cheese pieces one at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth.
- Finish frosting: Beat in vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon eggnog. Add remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Adjust consistency with additional eggnog, 1 teaspoon at a time, if frosting is too stiff.
- Frost and dust: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled brownies. Finish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon for a festive touch.
Notes
- Using foil with an overhang makes removing brownies from the pan easy once cooled.
- Do not overmix the batter when folding in dry ingredients to maintain tenderness.
- Crystallized ginger adds a delightful spicy chew; mince it finely for even distribution.
- Adjust eggnog quantity in frosting to get your preferred spreading consistency.
- Brownies taste best after chilling for at least an hour to set the frosting.
- Store brownies tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
