Frosted ginger cookies are soft, chewy, and topped with buttercream frosting. Loaded with warm spices, these cookies are perfect for any holiday.
You might also like our iced gingerbread man cookies, crispy gingersnap cookies, or soft gingerbread cookie bars.
Ginger cookies, also known as molasses cookies, are one of my absolute favorites. I love the combination of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses. I used my popular bakery-style molasses cookies recipe to create a smaller, frosted version. These frosted ginger cookies are absolute perfection.
Why I Like This Recipe
- No chill recipe. I only chill cookie dough if I'm worried about the cookies spreading too much once baked. Otherwise, I simply don't have the patience and prefer recipes that don't require chilling. These ginger cookies bake up beautifully without needing to chill the dough.
- Crispy edges, chewy centers. This ginger cookie recipe is the best of both worlds. They have a crisp edge and a soft and chewy interior. The texture softens and the flavors meld as they sit, making them even chewier and more flavorful hours later, and they stay soft for days!
- Simple ingredients. Chances are, you already have everything you need to make these molasses cookies on hand. Basic ingredients, warm spices, molasses, and a simple buttercream frosting.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a combination of butter and shortening. While most ginger cookie recipes use shortening, I found the best texture and flavor outcome from using a 50/50 ratio of shortening and butter. I use this exact combination for my copycat Chick-fil-A chocolate chunk cookies as well as my bakery-style sugar cookies. If you prefer not to use shortening, you can use butter instead.
- No need to coat in sugar. When coating the tops in frosting, it isn't necessary to also roll the cookies in sugar, so you can skip that step.
- Storage tips. Store cookies in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. You can also freeze the ginger cookies in a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months.
Ingredients
- Butter and shortening: Shortening has a higher melting point, so cookies will hold their shape longer in the oven before the fat melts in the dough, which results in moist, chewy cookies. Butter melts more quickly and releases some steam so that cookies will spread more and be crisper, with a distinctly buttery flavor. I use both for the best of both worlds.
- Brown sugar and white sugar: I like using a mixture of brown and white sugar for the best flavor and consistency.
- Large egg: a room temperature egg for richness and texture.
- Molasses: obviously. Use the basic unsulphured molasses from the grocery store, not blackstrap, which has an overwhelming flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Adding a splash of vanilla extract or homemade vanilla paste is always a good idea. I used vanilla extract for the cookies and vanilla paste for the icing, but you can use extract for both. I like the faint flecks of vanilla that the paste adds to the icing.
- Spices: ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and salt: for leavening and flavor.
- Powdered sugar: The frosting is made from powdered sugar, milk, butter and vanilla.
- Milk: Milk is used to thin out the frosting to a spreadable consistency.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Frosted Ginger Cookies
Step 1: Combine shortening, butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix.
Step 3: Add cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Mix. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix until just combined.
Step 4: Roll cookie dough into 2 Tbsp. sized balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 5: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets.
Step 6: Beat frosting ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Spread over cooled cookies and top with sprinkles.
The frosting will set up enough to store the cookies in an airtight container, but will still remain soft.
Baking Time Adjustments
- 2 Tbsp. scoop: Bake for 10-11 minutes. Makes 30 cookies.
- 3 Tbsp. scoop: Bake for 12-13 minutes. Makes 20 cookies.
- 4 tablespoon scoop (¼ cup): Bake for 14-15 minutes. Makes 15 cookies.
I bake with light baking sheets, so my recipe times reflect that. If your cookie sheets are dark, you may need to adjust the baking time by baking the cookies for a shorter period.
Ginger Cookies FAQs
Traditionally, gingersnaps are a small, crispy ginger cookie, while molasses cookies are soft and rich with less of a ginger kick. Both contain molasses and ginger. Essentially, one is crispy, while the other is soft and chewy. Molasses cookies are also called ginger cookies, but they are essentially the same thing.
Shortening produces a soft and chewy ginger cookie. Butter produces one with a crispier exterior and rich flavor. I rarely suggest using shortening in a recipe, so when I do, just trust that it yields the best outcome. For molasses and ginger cookies, I recommend a 50/50 ratio of shortening and butter for the best flavor and texture.
I bake with light metal baking sheets, so my recipe bake times reflect that. If your cookie sheets are dark, you may need to adjust the baking time by baking the cookies for a shorter period. Light metal baking sheets (aluminum) bake more evenly than dark metal baking sheets.
More Ginger Cookie Recipes To Make
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Frosted Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour fluff then scoop
Frosting
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tbsp. milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine shortening, butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix.
- Add cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Mix.
- Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix until just combined.
- Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls.
- Place cookie dough balls onto cookie sheets, 2" apart.
- Bake cookies for 11 minutes (see baking chart in notes section for adjustments for smaller or larger cookies).
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
- Combine frosting ingredients and beat until smooth with an electric mixer.
- Frost each cookie and add sprinkles.
Notes
- 2 Tbsp. scoop: Bake for 10-11 minutes. Makes 30 cookies.
- 3 Tbsp. scoop: Bake for 12-13 minutes. Makes 20 cookies.
- 4 tablespoon scoop (¼ cup): Bake for 14-15 minutes. Makes 15 cookies.
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