Frosted Ginger Cookies

Written by
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Linda Larsen
Updated 09/12/19
Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe

 The Spruce
  • Total: 40 mins
  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Cooling Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 24 cookies (24 servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
118 Calories
7g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24 cookies (24 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 118
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 8%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 119mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 1g
Calcium 25mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These frosted ginger cookies are so easy and good and bring back memories of simpler times. You can leave the frosting off if you'd like, but it helps tempers the spices and adds a nice texture to the cookies. These are soft cookies and chewy, too.

To make the best cookies, make sure that you always measure the ingredients carefully, especially flour. Too often, cookies are dry or hard because they contain too much flour.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger (very finely chopped)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe ingredients
     Ther Spruce

  2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  3. Add the vanilla, orange juice, molasses, crystallized ginger, and egg and beat well using a spoon or an electric mixer.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  4. Sift together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, ground cloves, and salt and mix well.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Beat until combined, but do not over beat.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  6. Cover the dough and chill it for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  7. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F.

  8. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, place them 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets, and flatten with the bottom of a glass.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  9. Bake the cookies for 9 to 12 minutes or until they are set and golden brown.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then carefully remove them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  11. If desired, frost with Buttercream Frosting and let stand until frosting is firm. If you frost the cookies, it's better that they aren't put into a cookie jar. 

    Frosted Ginger Cookies recipe
     The Spruce

  12. Serve and enjoy!

Tip

  • Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them soft. If you do want to put them into a cookie jar, put the cookies into a sealed baggie or food-safe plastic bag first. These cookies also freeze very well; just thaw them at room temperature.