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Favorite Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Easy Molasses Icing

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These soft gingerbread cookies with glossy molasses icing are perfectly tender, pantry-friendly, and crowd-pleasing. They stay soft for days and are a holiday favorite that looks impressive but is easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (fine sea salt; reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if using table salt)
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon milk (any kind)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until combined and glossy.
  4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Fold together with a rubber spatula until just combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  5. Optional: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to make the dough easier to handle and help cookies stay thick.
  6. Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls. Roll each ball between your palms until smooth. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake for 9-11 minutes. The cookies should look puffed and set around the edges but still soft in the center.
  8. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. While the cookies cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, molasses, milk, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl until thick but drizzle-able.
  10. Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle the icing over them. Let the icing set for about 20 minutes before stacking or storing.

Notes

Don’t use blackstrap molasses; it’s too bitter. For best results, chill the dough for 30 minutes. Don’t overbake—cookies should look slightly underdone when removed from oven. The flavors improve after a day or two.

Nutrition

Keywords: soft gingerbread cookies, molasses icing, holiday cookies, easy gingerbread, soft cookies, Christmas cookies

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/favorite-soft-gingerbread-cookies-with-easy-molasses-icing/