When Gingerbread Season Hits (It’s Basically Any Cool Day, Right?)
Okay, so, picture this: there’s that classic wintry chill outside, and I’m rooting through my pantry for something—literally anything—other than oatmeal. That’s when my brain says, hey, how about those gingerbread cookies Nana used to make, except, well, less tooth-chipping? Soft gingerbread, that is. With this sticky, sassy maple glaze because, honestly, life’s too short for naked cookies.
I started making these one December night after my youngest declared “hard cookies are weird” (he’s not wrong) and now they’ve turned into this sort of family legend. Also, once I made them for my book club and accidentally left out the salt—let’s just say, never again! (Salt matters. Who knew?) Oh, and there was this one time I used pancake syrup instead of maple—huge mistake if you’re wondering, but that’s a tangent for another time I suppose.
Why You’ll Probably Make These Twice
I break these out when my family’s demanding something other than chocolate chip (again). It’s impossible to ruin the dough (unless you drop your phone in it—ask me how I know). The scent alone has my husband lurking in the kitchen like a cartoon bear, and honestly, the glaze is my sneaky favorite part. Sometimes, I genuinely think the leftovers taste even better the next morning (if you can stop yourself from eating them warm off the tray, which, good luck with that).
These cookies are stupid-easy to pull together, plenty soft, but never fall apart and, if you need a bribe for good behavior, they work wonders. True story: I once promised my son he could decorate a whole batch, but all he cared about was eating the spare glaze. Kids, right?
What You’ll Need (and What You Could Swap If You Must)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (my gran swore by Gold Medal, but I’ve used the grocery brand, no shame)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger (sometimes I add a pinch more, because why not?)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (if you love it, heaping’s fine)
- ¼ teaspoon cloves (cloves = mood, but you can leave it out, honestly)
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (pulled form an ancient jar, probably)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt (seriously, don’t skip!)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, soft (margarine in a pinch – tastes a bit different though)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (I’ve used light brown. It’s...fine.)
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup molasses (Grandma said Brer Rabbit—use whatever you’ve got, I won’t tell)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Maple Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar, powdered sugar—same thing)
- 2–3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (please, not pancake syrup unless you like disappointment)
- A splash of milk (just enough to loosen things)
- Pinch of salt (I always forget but it’s so much better with it)
Alright, Let’s Make Cookies (and Maybe a Little Mess)
- Cream the butter & sugar: In a big bowl—like, the one you use for popcorn—beat the soft butter and brown sugar until smooth and kinda fluffy. I do this with a wooden spoon unless I’m feeling fancy and haul out the mixer. (Mixer’s quicker, less arm workout.)
- Add the wet stuff: Crack in the egg, drizzle in molasses (it’s stubborn coming out the bottle, I get it). Add vanilla. Mix again. If it looks a little split at this stage, that’s fine, it somehow fixes itself with flour.
- Toss in the dry ingredients: Dump in flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. I usually do it all at once—the recipe police can’t yell at me. Fold until all the flour’s gone, then stop stirring. Overmixing makes ‘em tough, which I learned the hard way.
- Chill out: Scoop out the dough (mine’s always sticky, and that’s right), wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Or honestly, overnight is fine. I sometimes only make half, bake them, and save the rest for later.
- Preheat & bake: Oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment—if you’re out, lightly grease the tray (or, improvise with that questionable foil lurking in the drawer, sigh). Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, plop ‘em down a couple inches apart. Flatten with your hand or the back of a mug. Bake 8–10 minutes. Soft center = good, browned edges = chewy, too brown = whoops!
- Cool & glaze: Let cookies chill for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack. While they cool, stir powdered sugar, maple syrup, a little milk, and that pinch of salt. Drizzle over cookies. Or dip. Or spoon it straight into your mouth (not that I’ve done that...much.)
Little Nuggets I Wish I’d Known Earlier
- This dough really needs chilling—if you skip it, the cookies spread too much and get kind of crispy around the edges. Actually, I find it works better if you chill for at least an hour, but I never remember to plan ahead so ten minutes in the freezer works in a pinch if your kitchen’s chilly.
- The dough sticks to EVERYTHING. I’ve started using those silicone baking mats (like these from King Arthur Baking) but it’s equally fine to just grease your hands and embrace the mess, honestly.
Ways I’ve Strayed Off the Path (for Better or Worse)
- Once tried swapping molasses for honey—result: bland, not worth it.
- Adding orange zest = so cozy in winter. A little goes a long way.
- Cranberries chopped in? Surprisingly good, but my kids picked them out like it was a game.
Truthfully, I did try making these gluten free with almond flour last year. They disintegrated into sad gingerbread sand, so don’t recommend (but maybe a pro could save it?). If you want something fancy, sprinkle chopped toasted pecans on top of the glaze.
What If You Don’t Have the Fancy Stuff?
No stand mixer? Join the club. I used a wooden spoon and elbow grease for ages. For rolling, I sometimes use a wine bottle (clean, of course). Missing a wire rack? Lay cookies on an upside-down muffin tin—creative, right?
Where Do You Keep Leftovers? (Not That You’ll Need To)
Pop them in an airtight tin, and they’ll stay soft for 3–4 days. Or so they say—I usually find nothing but crumbs after 24 hours here. Apparently, adding a slice of bread to the container keeps them extra pillowy (old trick, new to me).
How My Crew Likes Them Served
We pile them on a big old plate and dunk in tea—builder’s tea, not that fancy stuff—while watching silly Christmas films. Occasionally, I’ll sandwich two together with extra glaze, which technically defeats the point but is delicious. If you’re feeling proper, you can even gift-wrap them (check these cute boxes) for neighbours.
Tiny Lessons Learned (The Hard Way, Usually)
- Patience matters. I once tried baking without chilling the dough—ended up with big, strange cookie pancakes that glued themselves to the tray.
- Be careful with molasses—spill it once and your counter’s sticky for days.
- If you overbake, don’t panic! Maple glaze covers a multitude of sins.
Questions I Actually Get (And My Tongue-in-Cheek Answers)
- Do I really have to use molasses?
- Technically you could use golden syrup, but it won’t taste very gingerbread-y. Molasses is the heart and soul here (I tried skipping it once and, well, bland city).
- How soft are these, really?
- Picture a cloud with a bit of chew. But if you eat them hot out of the oven, they’ll be super soft and might fall apart, so let them cool (or just embrace the goo!).
- Can I freeze ‘em?
- Sure thing. Dough freezes great—just thaw in the fridge overnight. Baked cookies freeze too, just separate with parchment. Don’t glaze until after defrosting, though, or the texture’s weird.
- What if I hate maple?
- No worries. Try lemon or vanilla glaze—or honestly, just plain is still top notch. I’ve even topped with a dusting of extra cinnamon sugar once. Not traditional but tasty.
- How do you avoid mess with molasses?
- Pro move: spray your measuring cup with nonstick spray first. It’ll pour out (mostly). But I still chase drips across the counter every time—it’s the price of gingerbread, mate.
On a totally unrelated note, isn’t it funny how baking with kids is always messier than you think, even when you think you know how messy it’ll be? Maybe it’s just me.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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2In a bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
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3In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract.
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4Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.
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5Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are set but still soft. Allow to cool.
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6For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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