Iced Ginger Cookies
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These Iced Ginger Cookies are everything you want for this Christmas holiday! They are sweet, chewy, and downright gingerly delicious!
Oh my, any excuse I can find to bake up a delicious dessert, I’m there! And I love any and all things Christmas related!
If you can’t tell, I love the holiday season! These cookies are so chewy and tender they practically melt in your mouth. Mmm!
Between my husband and me, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that these barely lasted one sitting! I guess that’s why I have recipes like my candy cane Christmas fudge. It’s so rich that you can really only eat one piece!
Table of Contents
What goes into this recipe
Dry Ingredients:
- A-purpose flour: This is the base that gives our cookies their awesome chewy texture.
- Baking soda: Our secret weapon for perfectly risen cookies – light and airy, just the way we like them!
- Warm Spices: Don’t skimp on these! We’re using 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and a pinch each of ground cloves and salt for that classic, warm ginger cookie flavor profile.
Wet Ingredients:
- Butter, softened: Remember, softened butter is key for creaming everything together beautifully.
- Pure granulated sugar & brown sugar: This dynamic duo creates the perfect balance of sweetness and moisture in our cookies.
- Egg: Binds all our yummy ingredients together for a cohesive (and delicious) masterpiece.
- Molasses: This is the secret ingredient that makes ginger cookies what they are! Molasses add a deep, rich flavor and keep the cookies nice and moist.
Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar: The foundation of our glaze, providing sweetness and that smooth, dreamy texture.
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg: This warm spice adds a beautiful touch to the glaze, complementing the ginger flavor in the cookies.
- 2 tbsp water: This will thin out the powdered sugar and create a smooth, pourable glaze.
Iced Ginger Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Then, stir in the egg and molasses.
Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix! Cover the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Roll the chilled dough into balls, then roll them in sugar and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 5: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Once cool, drizzle with the glaze.
To make the glaze: Combine powdered sugar, nutmeg, and water in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Expert Tips
- Keep a close eye on your cookies in the oven. Overbaking can lead to dry and crumbly cookies. For my oven, 9 minutes is the perfect baking time. However, oven temperatures can vary, so keep an eye on them and adjust the baking time accordingly.
- For the best results, stick with all-purpose flour. While other flours might work, I haven’t personally tested them, so I can’t guarantee the outcome.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight, for the best results. Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll into balls and will help the cookies hold their shape.
- Store these delicious cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Enjoy them fresh for the best flavor and texture.
- While I don’t actually do this, using a cookie scoop will help you to form evenly sized cookies, which will ensure even baking.
Recipe FAQs
Ginger cookies and gingerbread cookies are similar but distinct. Ginger cookies are typically rolled into balls and baked, resulting in a soft and chewy texture. Gingerbread cookies, on the other hand, are rolled out flat and cut into shapes, creating a firmer, crispier cookie.
I love King Arthur’s all-purpose flour for cookies!
Overmixing and not enough chilling time can both lead to flat cookies.
These really are the best holiday cookies ever! I am definitely going to be making these this Thanksgiving and Christmas, along with my M&M cookie bars.
I think I might even make my daughter’s and my favorite Oreo-dipped Christmas cookies!
Related Recipes
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Iced Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup pure granulated sugar Plus, some for rolling the cookies in.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Then, stir in the egg and molasses.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix! Cover the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Roll the chilled dough into balls, then roll them in sugar and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, drizzle with the glaze.
Notes
- Keep a close eye on your cookies in the oven. Overbaking can lead to dry and crumbly cookies. For my oven, 9 minutes is the perfect baking time. However, oven temperatures can vary, so keep an eye on them and adjust the baking time accordingly.
- For the best results, stick with all-purpose flour. While other flours might work, I haven’t personally tested them, so I can’t guarantee the outcome.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight, for the best results. Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll into balls and will help the cookies hold their shape.
- Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
SO good!
Oh my gosh! these look DELICIOUS!