Name: Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 24 cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar; 1/4 cup molasses; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze); 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (for glaze); 1–2 tablespoons milk (for glaze)

Have I Told You About These Gingerbread Cookies?

Let me just say upfront—these soft gingerbread Cookies with maple glaze have gotten me out of more holiday jams than I care to admit. Like, there was that one year my son brought his entire soccer team over after practice. Suddenly, I was that parent cobbling together snacks for twelve ravenous nine-year-olds (and maybe, okay, slightly panicking). Luckily, this dough comes together faster than you can say “where did I put the cinnamon?”

I love these Cookies because they’re as soft as a freshly laundered jumper (or sweater, for my American pals). Chewy. Slightly cakey. And honestly, for me the maple glaze is a love language all its own—plus, licking the bowl is basically mandatory. Incidentally, if you spot a suspiciously small cookie missing its corner, no you didn’t, that’s just quality control.

Why You’ll Absolutely Love This Recipe

I make this when I want to look like I spent all day baking (but didn’t). My family goes a bit loopy for these, even more so if I let them help. Little warning: kids and flour = snowstorm. But worth it for the memories. I also whip up a double batch around Christmas—makes the house smell like a festive candle shop. Actually, I think these cookies taste better the next day? Which is odd, since they rarely survive past midnight. Anyway, the real win: you don’t need a ton of fancy-pants ingredients or equipment.

What You’ll Need (And a Few Easy Swaps)

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (Gran swears by King Arthur, but any bog-standard brand is fine)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (I’ve forgotten this step—still turned out okay!)
2 tsp ground ginger (fresh grated is nice if you’ve got time, but not essential)
1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves (I sometimes skip this if I can’t find it… no one noticed yet)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark, honestly I use whatever is lurking in my cupboard)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (margarine in a pinch, but butter is yummier)
1/3 cup molasses (if you’re like me and run out, a splash of honey works, but it’ll taste different)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp pure maple syrup (Aunt Jemima in a pinch, but real syrup is… well, real!)
1 tbsp milk (or cream if you’re fancy)

How To Make Them—Step by Step, Kind Of

Mix your dry stuff. In one bowl, throw in the flour, baking soda, salt, and all those lovely spices. Stir with a fork—it’s what I do, unless my whisk hasn’t vanished again.
Cream wet ingredients. In a big-ish bowl, beat together the brown sugar and butter ’til it looks fluffy-ish. Add in molasses, egg, and vanilla. (This is where I usually sneak a taste. Don’t tell anyone.)
Add dry to wet. Dump the dry ingredients in—little at a time. The dough will look a bit dark and weird at first (don’t panic). Mix ’til it barely comes together. Too much mixing = cardboard cookies. Trust me, learned that the hard way.
Chill out. Pop the dough in the fridge for at least an hour. I mean, who’s got time? But it really does stop them spreading into ginger pancakes.
Shape and bake. Scoop little balls about the size of a walnut (or, if you’re me, “about yay big”). Space them out on a parchment-lined tray. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes. They’ll puff up and look cracked. That’s good!
Let them BE. Don’t touch the cookies when they’re hot. Seriously. I tried once, and they just crumbled apart. Let cool before moving to a rack.
Glaze time. Whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk. If it’s too thick, add a drip of milk. Too thin? More sugar! Drizzle or dunk cookies. I’ve done both.

A Few Notes (a.k.a. Where I Messed Up)

One time the dough was super sticky, so I chilled it overnight—actually worked better, so… yay for laziness?
Using dark brown sugar = richer cookie. But if all you’ve got is regular, just use it.
If you accidentally forget the glaze (been there, distracted by the cat), just dust with icing sugar instead.

Some “Brilliant” Variations I’ve Tried

Chopped pecans on top of the glaze—fancy, but my kids picked ’em all off. Sigh.
Bit of orange zest in the dough: actually really nice. Reminded me of Christmas in Oxford, for some reason.
Once tried using coconut oil instead of butter. Don’t recommend—came out kinda greasy.
If gluten-free is your jam, I know this flour blend works pretty well, but you might need a smidge extra for handling.

What You Really Need (and What If You Don’t Have It)

A stand mixer is nice for hands-free, but honestly, a wooden spoon, elbow grease, and a decent playlist will do the job (unless you’re trying to impress—then drag out the fancy gadgets).
Parchment paper helps loads, but I’ve buttered a tray in a pinch.
Wire rack? If not, just tilt the cookies on a wooden spoon handle or even a breadboard. Works, mostly.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze

Storing Them (If They Last)

You can keep these in an airtight tin for up to five days; though honestly, in my house they don’t ever survive more than a day. I’ve hidden them once behind the flour, but someone always susses it out. Freeze ’em if you must—layered with wax paper is my go-to trick.

How Do I Serve These? Let Me Count The Ways…

I confess, my favorite way is just with a mug of tea (builder’s, extra strong) while hiding with a good book. At Christmas, we leave a plate for Father Christmas—sometimes with a nip of whisky, because why not? My kids dunk them in milk so much that half the glaze ends up in the mug, but who am I to judge?

Disastrous, Hard-Earned Pro Tips

Do NOT overbake. I once tried to go for “just a little more golden” and ended up with cookies fit to rebuild a wall.
Add glaze only after cookies are cool, unless you want pooling sugar and a sticky counter (learned that one on a Monday morning—regret).
Actually, I find it works better if you double the glaze and use half for drizzling and half for, um, emergencies.

Your Burning Questions, Answered (Sort Of)

Can I freeze the dough?
Yes, absolutely! Just roll it up like a log, wrap in clingfilm. Slice-and-bake is totally doable.
I’m out of molasses—what now?
You can sub in treacle, or even a bit of golden syrup, but it won’t be quite the same—still tasty though. Some folks mix honey with a darker sugar; give it a go if you’re feeling brave.
My glaze is runny. Why?
Uh, usually I added too much milk without realising. Just dump in another handful of icing sugar. It’ll fix itself, promise.
Can I make these vegan?
I haven’t tried, but Nora Cooks has a good vegan gingerbread base. Swap egg for flaxseed, butter for vegan spread, you know the drill.

And on a random note, these cookies pair surprisingly well with sharp cheddar. I know, it sounds wild, but don’t knock it till you try it. For more home-baking fun, I sometimes check Sally’s Baking Addiction for backup ideas—her tutorials are brill.

So there you have it—my most requested (and slightly chaotic) soft gingerbread cookies with maple glaze. If you end up with glorious sticky fingers and a bit of a mess, well, that’s all part of the charm. Happy baking, mate!

Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze—A Cozy Favorite