Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
The BEST gingerbread cookies ever! They are so moist, soft and gooey, and have the best homemade cream cheese frosting. They’re easy to make and are perfect for serving to family or guests for the holidays.
Ingredients
1 stick of butter (113g), softened but not melted
1/2 cup brown coconut sugar (90g)
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses (60mL / 93g), do not use blackstrap
1 large egg, room temperature
2 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups white flour, spooned and leveled (265 g), I use Sunrise Flour Mill
Frosting:
4 oz cold cream cheese*
2 Tbsp maple syrup (or 2-3 Tbsp coconut sugar)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the cream cheese frosting: Using an electric mixer, whip together the cold cream cheese with the maple syrup and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined. Put into a piping bag then place in the refrigerator while waiting for the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This will be a couple batches.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and brown coconut sugar until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the molasses and egg and beat until combined.
- Add the ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt and beat until combined.
- Beat in the flour 1/2 cup at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate any rogue flour.
- For each cookie, scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough (36 grams) and roll into balls. Place on the parchment paper lined baking sheets, leaving a couple inches between each for expansion.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until the tops are slightly cracked (about 9 minutes on aluminum and 10-11 on stainless steel). They will be cracked on top but still slightly gooey looking inside the cracks. Transfer cookies to a wire rack after a couple minutes and let them cool for 10 minutes on the pan before moving – this is important for letting them finish cooking and setting. Bake the second batch while waiting for the first one to cool. Again, let them rest on the pan 10 minutes before removing.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost them however desired and enjoy!
- To store: Keep frosted cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Unfrosted cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Notes:
*The type of cream cheese you use can be important. I find some brands of cream cheese are a bit more on the thin side (like Nancy’s), so use a classic thick cream cheese if you want a thick frosting. If your cream cheese isn’t super thick, then at least opt to sweeten with coconut sugar instead to not introduce as much liquid like maple syrup.
