Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze Recipe
These Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze are perfect for the holiday season or any time you crave a sweet, spiced treat. They feature a tender, chewy texture with warm ginger flavors, perfectly complemented by a rich, thick maple glaze that sets beautifully and adds a festive touch. Easy to prepare and bake, these cookies are rolled in sugar for a delightful crunch and finished with a glossy maple glaze and sprinkles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (300 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1–2 teaspoons ground ginger
- Granulated sugar for rolling
Maple Glaze
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (180 grams)
- 2 tablespoons milk (plus a little more if needed)
- Pinch of salt, to taste
- Festive sprinkles for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the cookies evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps to aerate the dough for a tender cookie.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and molasses to the creamed mixture, mixing until fully incorporated to ensure a smooth, homogeneous dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground ginger to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms, ensuring all ingredients are just combined without over-mixing.
- Form and Roll Cookies: Scoop the dough into small balls slightly smaller than golf balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to give the cookies a sweet, crunchy exterior when baked.
- Bake Cookies: Place the sugared dough balls on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes. Remove the cookies from the pan immediately after baking to allow them to sink and flatten gently as they cool, preserving their soft texture.
- Prepare Maple Glaze: In a bowl, whisk together melted butter, pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, milk, and a pinch of salt until smooth. If the glaze is too thick to dip, add additional milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches a thick but dippable consistency.
- Glaze and Decorate: Dip one side of each cooled cookie into the maple glaze, then run the edge of the cookie along the side of the bowl to remove excess glaze. Place the glazed cookies on wax paper and decorate with festive sprinkles before the glaze sets.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted to create the perfect creamy texture when creaming with sugar.
- If you prefer a stronger ginger flavor, use 2 teaspoons of ground ginger or adjust according to taste.
- For a thicker glaze, add powdered sugar; for a thinner glaze, add small amounts of milk gradually.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- These cookies freeze well, either glazed or unglazed. Freeze unglazed for longer storage and glaze after thawing.
Keywords: gingerbread cookies, soft gingerbread, maple glaze, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, spiced cookies, molasses cookies, festive treats