Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Frosting (GF)

Gingerbread and chocolate are two of the most popular flavors for the holiday season and today’s Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Frosting will be your new go-to recipe!

If you are looking for the perfect dessert to feed your crowd, this is a great option. Rich and packed with spices you love, this is a treat everyone will be fawning over.

This is such an easy recipe to put together, just watch the order you add things together. Generally you will mix the dry ingredients in your large bowl then mix the wet ingredients in a medium bowl and add them to the dry ingredients. Mix into a smooth batter then pour in the boiling water and baking soda, beating slowly until smooth.

Be sure you thoroughly butter and flour the pan so they don’t stick. With all the molasses in the batter, it has a tendency to stick – a layer of buttered parchment with two ends hanging over opposite edges will give you even more protection.

When working with molasses, spoon some of the melted butter into the measuring cup, rolling it around to coat the interior and pour the extra butter back into its bowl. Then when you add the molasses to the cup it will pour out cleanly, leaving just a little still in the cup. I always do this with butter or oil when working with sticky ingredients like molasses, corn syrup, or honey. It saves a lot of work!

And speaking of molasses, if you only have light brown sugar don’t worry. Add an extra tablespoon of molasses when measuring it out to turn your light brown sugar into dark brown sugar!

The edges of my brownies baked up taller than the center. It isn’t a problem, just don’t panic if yours does the same. This is more common in gluten-free baking so if you are using regular wheat flour it likely will be less noticeable. These are lovely cakey brownies that are totally craveable!

The house smells amazing as these brownies are baking, filling every nook with the aromas of the holidays! Between the molasses and spices, the gingerbread really comes through. So satisfying and fun for the holidays!

The eggnog frosting is lovely. Subtle flavors of eggnog and cream cheese combine to make an outstanding topping for your holiday brownies. It is truly simple to make and spreads like a dream. It is very soft so I recommend refrigerating it to firm it up. I skipped this and it slumped as it sat – refrigeration helps you get clean slices! If you want a stronger eggnog flavor, you can use a little of the eggnog oil from Lorann Oils which gives you the freedom to make this all year long! 

If you prefer a buttercream for piping your frosting, here is a recipe for eggnog frosting from I Heart Naptime.  

I found miniature gingerbread men sprinkles that are absolutely adorable and lets people know the flavors they will be enjoying with every bite. I always try to decorate with something that is found in the dish to give my guests a hint as to what is coming. Also, they are darling for the holidays. And the red, white, and green sprinkles came from Sprinkle Pop – such fun!

I hope you give these Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Frosting a try – you will be amazed how well the flavors combine into something festive and delightful.

I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons. May your days be filled with joy, laughter, and the most delicious meals imaginable. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours!  

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

 

Ingredients needed for Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Frosting:

• Brownies: flour, sugar, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, butter, molasses, milk, eggs, boiling water, baking soda
• Frosting: cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, eggnog, vanilla, nutmeg, decorations for the top (optional)

 

PRO Tip:

If you only have light brown sugar don’t worry. Add an extra tablespoon of molasses when measuring it out to turn your light brown sugar into dark brown sugar!

 

How to make Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Frosting:

1. Whisk together all the dry ingredients except the baking soda in the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer.
2. In another medium bowl, combine the butter, molasses, milk, and egg and yolk, mixing until smooth. Pour the butter/egg mixture into the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
3. In a small bowl, combine the boiling water and baking soda. Pour this water mixture into the batter and beat until combined and smooth.
4. Pour into a buttered and floured 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan – or line it with parchment paper. Smooth the top and be sure the batter fills the pan completely. Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 30 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the brownies in the pan on a wire rack to cool.
5. When it is cool, make the frosting. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and mix until blended together. Add the sugar and eggnog, beating until smooth. Adjust sugar or eggnog to get the right spreading consistency. Mix in the vanilla and nutmeg. Spread over the cooled brownies, covering the entire top with a spatula. Top with sprinkles if desired.
6. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up the frosting before slicing and serving.

 

PRO Tip:

You can easily make this completely by hand with a whisk and a little elbow grease. I keep my stand mixer on the counter so it is easy for me to slide out for using. I also have a second beater blade and bowl for those times when I have a lot of things to mix/beat and don’t want to have to stop and wash the bowl and beater before starting the second project.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• • Kitchen scale
  • Mixing bowls
  • 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Wire cooling rack

 

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.

** My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s or another brand you will likely not need as much.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

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