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Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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4.5 from 55 reviews

These Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting combine rich, fudgy chocolate brownies with warm gingerbread spices and a creamy, festive eggnog frosting. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these brownies feature a moist texture infused with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and molasses, topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting flavored with eggnog and nutmeg for a festive touch.

Ingredients

Scale

Brownies

  • 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
  • 4 oz. softened cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1–2 tablespoons eggnog
  • Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the brownies.
  2. Prepare Pan: Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with a large piece of foil, letting it hang over the edges lengthwise so you can lift the brownies out easily after baking. Grease the foil with butter or spray with a nonstick cooking spray combined with flour. Set aside.
  3. Melt Chocolate and Butter: In a small bowl, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Add the chopped semisweet chocolate to the melted butter and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then whisk together until smooth and fully melted.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, salt, and ground cloves. Set this bowl aside.
  5. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, light brown sugar, molasses, finely chopped crystallized ginger, and vanilla extract until smooth. Then whisk in the melted chocolate and butter mixture until incorporated.
  6. Combine Batter: Gently fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula just until combined to form the brownie batter. Avoid overmixing.
  7. Bake Brownies: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake at 325°F for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached when done.
  8. Cool Brownies: Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan placed on a wire rack. Once cool, use the foil overhang to carefully lift the brownies out of the pan.
  9. Prepare Frosting: When brownies are fully cooled, prepare the eggnog cream cheese frosting. Beat the softened butter with 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar using a handheld mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
  10. Add Cream Cheese: Increase mixer speed to medium-high and add the softened cream cheese pieces one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until smooth and creamy.
  11. Flavor Frosting: Add vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon of eggnog to the frosting and beat to combine well.
  12. Finish Frosting: Gradually beat in the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar. Add additional eggnog one teaspoon at a time to reach your desired consistency for spreading.
  13. Frost Brownies: Evenly spread the frosting over the cooled brownies using a spatula. Lightly sprinkle ground cinnamon over the frosting for a festive touch.
  14. Storage: Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, refrigerate to preserve freshness.

Notes

  • To make cutting brownies easier, use the foil sling to lift brownies out of the pan before slicing.
  • For extra texture and flavor, finely chopped crystallized ginger is incorporated into the batter.
  • You can adjust the amount of eggnog in the frosting to achieve your preferred thickness and flavor.
  • If you don’t have crystallized ginger, you may substitute with finely minced fresh ginger, but reduce amount as it’s stronger and less sweet.
  • Make sure brownies are completely cooled before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
  • These brownies are best served within 3-4 days when stored properly.

Keywords: gingerbread brownies, eggnog cream cheese frosting, holiday dessert, Christmas brownies, spiced brownies

Find it online: https://cookwithruby.com/gingerbread-brownies-with-eggnog-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/