Name: Iced Gingerbread Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 12 cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup salted butter (softened); ½ cup white granulated sugar; 1 large egg; ½ cup molasses; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided); 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 2 cups all-purpose flour; ⅓ cup whole milk; 2 cups powdered sugar

Iced gingerbread cookiesare the perfect festive treat for any occasion! With a warm, decadent, chewy center, these cookies are guaranteed to be a hit with any crowd.

A stack of five iced gingerbread cookies on a white surface. Each cookie is topped with a thin layer of white icing, and the edges are slightly uneven, adding a homemade touch. The background is softly blurred.

If you are looking for the best iced gingerbread cookie out there then look no further! These easy-to-make gingerbread cookies have it all — asoft, chewy texture, the perfect blend of warm, sweet flavors, and a light icing to bring everything together.

The molasses helps keep these cookies from drying out, meaning they are going to last longer than other cookies. This cookie dough also freezes great! When it comes to late night snacks, few things are better than a warm, fresh-baked cookie. By freezing this dough you can bake a single gingerbread cookie whenever you’d like!

Iced cookies arranged in rows on crinkled parchment paper. The cookies have a light brown color with white icing covering the tops. The icing is slightly uneven, giving a homemade look.

Why You’ll Love These Iced Gingerbread Cookies

Make-Ahead Marvel:The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for a couple of months, perfect for planning around your busy schedule.
Perfectly Soft & Chewy:The molasses in these cookies keeps them from drying out so they stay perfectly soft and chewy much longer than the average cookie.
Balanced Flavor Profile:Not too sweet and perfectly spiced, these cookies appeal to sophisticated palates while still delighting children.
Gift-Worthy Creations:These beautiful cookies make heartfelt homemade gifts for teachers, neighbors, and holiday gatherings.

🍽️ I start makinggingerbread cookie dough for the freezerduring Fall so I’m ready to bake up dozens of cookies when the holiday mood strikes!

Recipe Ingredients

Butter —Salted and softened.
Sugar —White granulated sugar
Egg —Just one large egg.
Molasses —Adds a deep, rich sweetness to your cookies.
Vanilla —Balances out the richness of the molasses.
Baking Powder and Soda —Helps the cookies rise.
Flour —All-purpose
Pumpkin Pie Spice —Fills the cookies with warm fall spices.
Powdered Sugar —The base of your icing.
Whole Milk —For the icing.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Baking ingredients are arranged on a white surface: labeled bowls of all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla, whole milk, molasses, baking soda and powder, pumpkin pie spice, and a stick of salted butter.

How To Make Iced Gingerbread Cookies

A stick of butter and a pile of white sugar sit in a transparent glass mixing bowl. The bowl is placed on a white marble surface.

A glass bowl containing a mixture of butter and sugar with an egg cracked in. Vanilla extract has been added, creating pools of brown liquid on the mixture. The background is a white marble surface.

Step 1:Preheat your oven to 350°. Cream the butter and granulated sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Step 2:Add the egg, molasses, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully incorporated.

A clear mixing bowl containing flour, cocoa powder, and sugar on a marble countertop. The ingredients are unmixed, with the cocoa and flour creating a contrast in color.

A glass bowl on a marble surface filled with a crumbly brown mixture, resembling cookie dough or crumble topping.

Step 3:Gently whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.

Step 4:Divide the cookie dough into 12 evenly sized balls.

Six round cookies are evenly spaced on a dark, well-used baking sheet. The cookies are golden brown, and the sheet is on a light marble surface.

A baking tray with six evenly spaced, round cookies with cracked surfaces, on a light marble countertop.

Step 5:Flatten each ball slightly into a disc and space them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.

Step 6:Bake for 12 minutes and then let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

A baking tray holds six round cookies topped with white icing. Some icing has dripped onto the tray. Two additional cookies, a checkered cloth, cinnamon sticks, and a black bowl with sauce are beside the tray.

Frosted cookies on a plate and a single frosted cookie on a table alongside cinnamon sticks. A patterned cloth napkin and a jar with a white liquid, likely milk, are also visible.

Step 7:While the cookies are cooling, whisk together the milk, powdered sugar, and remaining vanilla.

Step 8:Top each cookie with a spoonful of the vanilla icing.

Recipe FAQs

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

These cookies are going to spread a little bit, but they shouldn’t spread so much that they merge together when spaced at least 2 inches apart. If your cookies are spreading too much then you will want to chill your dough. Simply cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge for 30 minutes. This will help firm up the butter, causing your cookies to spread less.

What can I use if I’m out of molasses?

If you don’t have any molasses on hand then don’t worry! There are a few other ingredients you can use instead. You can substitute the white granulated sugar for dark brown sugar, which is made using granulated sugar and molasses. You can also replace the molasses with dark corn syrup.

Can I adjust the spice level?

Absolutely! For a milder cookie that appeals to sensitive palates, you can reduce the pumpkin pie spice by half. You’ll still get that wonderful gingerbread character without overwhelming little taste buds.

Expert Tips

Make It Easy:I like to use pumpkin pie spice since it is easy to get a hold of and then I don’t have to measure out all my different spices. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice or would rather measure out your own spices, you will want ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon of cloves, and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg.
Butter Tip:If you only have unsalted butter then you can add ¼ teaspoon of salt along with the other dry ingredients.
Chill Before Icing:The cooler your cookies are the quicker the icing will set. If you are in a hurry then you can chill your cookies in the fridge for about 15 minutes and then spoon the icing on.
Spreading Issue:These cookies should not spread too much. If your cookies are merging together when spaced at least 2 inches apart, try chilling your dough for 30 minutes in the fridge.

A hand holding a brown cookie topped with white icing. In the background, several similar cookies are arranged on parchment paper.

How to Store Gingerbread Cookies

You can store your cookies iced or un-iced. Either way, you can keep them on the counter for up to a week.

If you want to be able to reheat your cookie then I recommend storing them un-iced. You can reheat an un-iced cookie for about 15 seconds in the microwave.

This cookie dough is great for freezing! Separate your cookie dough into discs and then place them in a large ziplock bag or rubbermaid container. You can keep this cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.

One of the best parts of freezing this dough is being able to bake just one cookie at a time. Bake your cookies from frozen for 14 minutes at 350°F.