Holiday cookies: Gingerbread Blondies

"With the chewy texture of the best fudgy brownie and all the festive flavors of your favorite gingerbread cookies, these spicy bars make a bold statement for the holidays, writes recipe author Melissa Clark, whose recipe for gingerbread blondies can be found in the new Cookies: The Best Recipes for the Perfect Anytime Treat by Vaughn Vreeland and the New York Times (Ten Speed Press, $35)."

"Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square pan and line with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted and flecked with darker brown bits, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the brown butter into a large bowl and add the brown sugar, molasses and grated ginger. Whisk until combined (it won't look smooth) and let cool for a few minutes."

"1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), plus more for the pan 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons molasses 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (or bourbon or espresso) 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch of ground cloves"

Yields 12 bars or 16 squares. The batter begins with browned butter combined with packed dark brown sugar, molasses and finely grated fresh ginger. Eggs and vanilla are whisked in until glossy before dry ingredients are added: all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, kosher salt, allspice, black pepper and cloves. Chopped toasted walnuts or pecans are optional. The batter is poured into a greased, parchment-lined 9-inch square pan and baked at 350 degrees until edges are firm and the center remains slightly soft. White or dark chocolate can be melted and used for decorating.

Read at www.mercurynews.com