Gingerbread Molasses Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1 large egg
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsulphered light or medium molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch salt, optional to taste
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an
8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large, microwave-safe bowl
melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
Wait momentarily before adding the
egg so you don't scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla,
ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, optional salt, and whisk until smooth.
Add the flour and stir until just
combined, don't overmix.
Stir in 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips.
Turn batter out into prepared pan,
smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
Evenly sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup
chocolate chips over the top, pressing them down very lightly with a spatula.
Bake for about 32 to 34 minutes, or until done. I
prefer them very moist, soft, and fudge-like, and baked for 32 minutes (shown
in photos). If you prefer more well-done, dryer bars, bake for a few minutes
longer; noting baking times may vary widely with this recipe based on personal
preferences. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, or with
a few moist crumbs, but no batter; however, it will be hard to find a clean
patch to test because you'll likely hit chocolate. Allow bars to cool in pan
for at least 30 to 60 minutes before slicing and serving; I prefer to let these
bars rest overnight so the flavors marry and the chocolate fully sets, at which
point they're fudge-like. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to
1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6
months.
