Frosted Gingerbread Cookies

Soft, chewy, and spiced just right, these Frosted Gingerbread Cookies have all the flavors that make them a classic holiday treat. As soon as you smell the delightful aroma of these cookies baking, you’ll be ready to celebrate the season!

With warming spices of cinnamon and ginger, and the deep rich flavor of molasses, this frosted cookie will remind you of a slice of gingerbread with a cream cheese glaze, but in hand-held cookie form.

Unlike thin and crispy ginger snap cookies or cookie dough that you roll and cut into shapes, this recipe is for drop cookies that are meant to bake up to be soft and chewy. They’re made even more delicious having been rolled in sugar for an extra dose of sweetness that’s baked right in. To make them even more special, they’re topped with a delectable buttercream frosting and a smattering of holiday sprinkles.

These soft cookies are perfect for holiday cookie trays, cookie exchanges, or just to keep on your counter to enjoy throughout the season with a cup of hot chocolate.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• They’re simple, and easy, with no rolling or cutting of the dough
• They’re soft and chewy
• They have that warm and cozy holiday gingerbread flavor
• They’re freezer-friendly so you can make them ahead for holiday prepping
• They’re delicious whether you add the buttercream frosting or not

Ingredients Needed

For The Cookie Dough

Butter – Use unsalted butter and make sure to set it out so that it’s softened so it will cream well when you add it with the other ingredients.

Sugar – White granulated sugar will be mixed with the other cookie dough ingredients to add sweetness.

Egg – This will help bind the dough together.

Molasses – The ingredient that gives these cookies that classic rich flavor associated with gingerbread.

Flour – Use all-purpose flour.

Baking Soda – Make sure it’s fresh because you want the cookies to rise and be soft and fluffy!

Ground Ginger And Ground Cinnamon – The spices that give these cookies their gingerbread status.

Extra Sugar – For rolling the cookies in for extra sweetness before they’re baked. The sugar also helps the tops form that characteristic cracked texture.

For The Frosting

Butter – Use unsalted softened butter

Cream Cheese – Use full-fat, room-temperature softened cream cheese

Powdered Sugar – Sweetener mixed with the butter and cream cheese to make the frosting.

Holiday Sprinkles – for a smattering of holiday cheer on top of the frosting.

How To Make The Cookies

Note: This is a summary of the recipe steps. For complete instructions, see the recipe card down below.

1. Using a stand mixer or hand-held, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy before adding in the egg and molasses. Mix until combined
2. Add in the dry ingredients of flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and cinnamon, and mix until combined.
3. For each cookie, scoop out the dough with a cookie scoop and roll it in your hands to make a ball.
4. Roll the cookie dough balls in sugar until well coated.
5. Place the cookies on a large cookie sheet giving them plenty of space.
6. Bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies are cooked through and have a cracked appearance.
7. Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

How To Make The Frosting

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese using a stand mixer or a hand-held hand mixer.
2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and fluffy.
3. Place the frosting in a piping bag with a round tip or a Ziploc bag with the tip cut off.
4. Pipe the frosting in a spiral pattern and add holiday sprinkles.

Do I Need To Chill The Dough?

No, you don’t. However, that said, I do find that if I chill the dough before I scoop it, the cookies tend to not spread as much as they bake.

So my recommendation is that if you have time, let the dough chill for an hour in the fridge. If not, no worries, your cookies will still be amazing!

How Do I Make Gingerbread Cookies More Spicy?

If you love a gingerbread cookie with a stronger and spicier taste and flavor, here are a few options you can use to help get that zing of hot spice when you bite into it.

• Instead of using ground ginger, use freshly grated ginger in the dough.
• Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dough
• Add a pinch of black pepper to the dough
• Add finely chopped crystallized ginger to the dough or use it as a garnish on top of the frosted cookies.

Frosting Variations

While this buttercream frosting is amazing, you may want to experiment with adding complementary flavors to it. Here are a few tasty ideas.

Lemon – Just a simple zesting of a lemon into the frosting as you mix it will give a bright flavor to the frosting. Or, you can add a drop of lemon extract to the frosting as you mix it.

Cinnamon and Ginger – Add a dash of ground cinnamon and ground ginger to the frosting to carry through with the gingerbread flavor.

Crystallized Ginger – Add finely chopped crystallized ginger to the frosting or use it as a garnish on top of the frosting.

Maple – Add a drop of maple extract to the frosting as you mix it.

Storage

Countertop – Store in a single layer, if frosted, in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Refrigerator – Store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer –  Store in a single layer in a freezer-friendly bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

More Gingerbread Recipes

Easy Gingerbread Bars

Gingerbread Cookie Cups

Gingersnap Cookies

Gingerbread Loaf

20 Ways To Enjoy Gingerbread This Season