Description
Irresistible Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze bring warmth and nostalgia straight from grandma’s kitchen. Spicy molasses and sweet maple create a delightful dance of flavors you’ll crave all winter long.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (80 ml) molasses
Spices and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Binding and Flavoring Agents:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Craft the foundational mixture by sifting together aromatic dry components: flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl, setting it aside for later incorporation.
- In a spacious mixing vessel, whip butter, granulated and brown sugars until achieving a light, voluminous texture using an electric mixer, approximately two minutes of vigorous blending.
- Integrate molasses, egg, and vanilla extract into the creamed sugar mixture, ensuring thorough and uniform integration of these liquid elements.
- Gently fold the previously prepared dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined while avoiding excessive manipulation of the dough.
- Encase the developing dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest and firm within the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour, permitting flavors to meld and texture to stabilize.
- Warm the culinary workspace by preheating the oven to 350F, simultaneously preparing baking surfaces with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Delicately form the chilled dough into compact spheres, approximately tablespoon-sized, positioning them strategically across the prepared baking landscape with sufficient spacing.
- Nestle the cookie orbs into the heated environment, baking for 8-10 minutes until edges demonstrate firmness while centers retain a subtle softness.
- Allow initial cooling directly on the baking sheet for five minutes before transitioning the delicate rounds to a wire cooling platform.
- Construct the maple glaze by whisking powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract until achieving a silky, pourable consistency.
- Embellish the completely cooled cookies by drizzling the lustrous maple glaze, either using a spoon or precision piping technique.
- Permit the glaze to set and solidify before presenting these aromatic, tender confections.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and enhance the cookie’s soft texture, ensuring a more concentrated flavor profile.
- Opt for fresh, high-quality spices to maximize the warm, rich gingerbread taste that makes these cookies irresistible.
- Experiment with gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version without compromising the cookie’s delicate softness.
- Swap maple syrup with alternative sweeteners like honey or agave for different flavor variations and dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg