Double Chocolate Ginger Bar Cookies

Chocolate cookies are crowd pleasers in my house. No matter what occasion I’m baking for, whether it is strawberry shortcakes in the spring or pumpkin pies in the fall, there are always a few holdouts for a chocolate dessert. Cookies are a great way to offer a chocolate dessert any time, as they’re quicker and easier to make than most pies and other options – plus, one batch is always enough for a crowd. These Double Chocolate Ginger Bar Cookies are a fantastic option when you want to put together an indulgent chocolate treat in short order.

These cookies were inspired by some chocolate bars that I had recently. I had both white and dark chocolate bars that were studded with pieces of candied ginger. They were delicious, because the spiciness of the ginger contrasted well with both the creamy white chocolate and the bittersweet dark chocolate, but I felt it would be even more delicious if all of those elements could come together in one recipe.

These bar cookies are brownie-like, with a deep chocolate flavor, but they have a lighter texture overall and are a bit crisper on top. The recipe is based on a chocolate peppermint bar cookie that I copied (yes, copied down on paper!) from an issue of Gourmet magazine a number of years back. The chocolate cookie dough is similar to brownie batter, with a relatively small amount of flour and a very generous amount of cocoa powder. The dough is packed with dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and chunks of candied ginger. The ginger breaks up the richness of all that chocolate, giving the bars a subtle – and delicious – heat.  As usual, I recommend using good quality white chocolate chips (the kind made with real cocoa butter) for best results.

Let the bars cool completely before slicing them. I like to line my pan with aluminum foil so that I can lift the whole batch out before slicing it. I made narrow bars and cut 30 (10 by 3) bars out of the batch. You can cut them down into slightly smaller squares or larger, more decadent, pieces, if you prefer. The bars keep well in an airtight container for at least 2 or 3 days after baking.

Double Chocolate Ginger Bar Cookies
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup candied ginger chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla extract, then stir in the flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and candied ginger. Batter will be very thick.
Drop dollops of batter into pan, trying to spread it out as much as possible. Use a spatula to push the batter into an even layer (it will spread more as it bakes, so don’t worry if you can’t get it quite into the corners).
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bars are set on the edges and they begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow bars to cool completely in the pan – they will sink as they cool – then use the foil to lift them out before slicing them into bars.

Makes 30 bars.

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