Ginger Bread Christmas Cookies: Soft Maple-Glazed Gingerbread
These Soft Gingerbread Cookies are warmly spiced, chewy, and topped with a sweet maple glaze — perfect for holiday baking, gifting, or enjoying with a cup of tea.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the cookies:
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1–2 tsp milk (or plant milk)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add molasses and egg, mixing until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Gradually add to wet mixture.
- Chill dough for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart and bake 8–10 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
- Mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set.
Notes
Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add orange zest to the dough or top with chopped nuts for variation.