📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper—that's what I usually do to make cleanup a breeze.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. This is where a stand or hand mixer comes in handy. Don't rush this step; it's important to get the sugars well incorporated for a moist bar.
3. Beat in the egg and molasses. Make sure everything is nicely combined. It should have that nice warm, slightly sticky look to it.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. A little tip? Sift the dry ingredients for extra fluffiness. Trust me on this one!
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Don't overmix! A few lumps are totally fine; overmixing can make the bars tough.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips (if using), and chopped nuts (if using). I like to use pecans, but walnuts would also be yummy. Or, you can ditch those entirely; the bars are delicious enough without them!
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Use a spatula to really make sure you get it nice and smooth. It’s kind of like smoothing out a bed of perfect icing on a cake, isn't it?
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Overbaking will create a dry bar, and we don't want that!
9. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares. This is the hardest part—waiting! But it’s vital for the bars to set up properly.
10. Once completely cooled, cut into squares, and enjoy! Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days (if they last that long!)