Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze taste like cozy spice, caramel molasses, and maple-kissed sweetness with a soft, chewy center. This recipe suits holiday bakers and spice lovers who want a quick win, and it takes about 1 hour from start to finish. I bake them every December while my dog watches the oven like a sitcom.
Why You Should Try This Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze deliver bakery-level texture with a simple pantry lineup. Warm ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg meet pure maple syrup in a glossy glaze that sets with a soft sheen. You get chewy centers, tender edges, and a finish that tastes like a cozy sweater in cookie form.
The recipe works for drop cookies or gentle press-and-bake rounds. The dough chills fast, the cookies bake fast, and the glaze stirs together in one bowl. You can knock out a batch between wrapping gifts and brewing coffee.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour, 2 1/4 cups or 280 g (spoon and level for accuracy)
- Baking soda, 1 teaspoon
- Fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground ginger, 2 teaspoons
- Ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon
- Unsalted butter, 1/2 cup or 113 g, softened to cool room temp
- Dark brown sugar, 3/4 cup, packed
- Molasses, 1/2 cup, unsulphured and mild in flavor (Grandma’s Original or Brer Rabbit Mild both work great)
- Large egg, 1
- Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- Sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons, for extra softness
- Cornstarch, 1 tablespoon, optional for extra tender texture
- Coarse sugar, for rolling, optional
Maple glaze
- Powdered sugar, 1 cup
- Pure maple syrup, 3 tablespoons (use grade A amber for balanced flavor)
- Milk or heavy cream, 1 to 2 tablespoons, to thin
- Maple extract, 1/4 teaspoon, optional for a bolder maple punch
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Pinch of cinnamon, optional
Substitutions and notes
- Use plant butter for a dairy-free option and swap sour cream with a thick dairy-free yogurt.
- Swap 1 tablespoon flour with cocoa powder for a deeper color and a subtle cocoa edge.
- Choose mild molasses for soft, sweet cookies. Skip blackstrap molasses since it tastes stronger and can turn the cookies bitter.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls, whisk, and spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
- 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop
- Baking sheets and parchment or silicone mats
- Wire rack
- Small bowl and whisk for glaze
How to Make Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze
Prep: 20 minutes | Chill: 30 minutes | Cook: 10 to 12 minutes per batch | Total: about 1 hour
- Whisk the dry ingredients
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set the bowl aside so you keep the texture even. - Cream butter and sugar
Beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the egg, vanilla, molasses, and sour cream until smooth. - Bring the dough together
Add the dry mix to the wet mix in two additions. Mix on low until the dough looks combined and glossy. Stop as soon as you see no dry streaks. - Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and chill for 30 minutes so the dough firms up and the flavors bloom. Line two baking sheets with parchment while you wait. - Scoop and coat
Scoop dough into 1.5 tablespoon portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball and coat in coarse sugar if you want sparkle. Space the portions 2 inches apart on the sheets. - Bake
Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops puff and the edges look set while the centers still feel soft. Rotate the pan at the halfway mark for even baking. Pull the cookies while the centers still feel a little soft so they stay chewy. - Cool
Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Keep them close together on the rack so they hold moisture. - Mix the maple glaze
Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, salt, and maple extract in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Adjust with a splash more milk if the glaze looks too thick. Add a pinch of cinnamon for a warm note. - Glaze and set
Drizzle or spoon glaze over cooled cookies. Let the glaze set for 20 to 30 minutes. Try not to “sample” five in a row while you wait, which I say from experience.
Yield: about 22 to 24 cookies, depending on scoop size.
Tips & Tricks
- Measure flour with care and keep a light hand to avoid dense cookies.
- Use mild, unsulphured molasses for soft texture and balanced flavor.
- Chill the dough so the cookies bake thick and chewy.
- Pull the cookies while the centers feel soft, since carryover heat finishes the bake.
- Swap sour cream with thick Greek yogurt if that suits your fridge.
- Add 1 tablespoon candied ginger bits for extra zing.
- Use maple extract in the glaze for a stronger maple note.
- Bake one tray at a time for even results.
What to Serve with Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Serve these soft gingerbread cookies with hot coffee, spiced chai, or warm apple cider. Vanilla ice cream turns two cookies into sandwich bliss with a frosty middle. A cheese board with aged cheddar or gouda also pairs well with the spices and maple sweetness. For a festive sip, pour a small glass of bourbon or eggnog and enjoy the cozy mix.
Make-Ahead
Chill the dough for up to 48 hours in the fridge. Scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a sheet, then store the frozen portions in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
Store glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 3 to 4 days. Place parchment between layers to protect the glaze. Freeze baked, unglazed cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temp and glaze fresh. Warm unglazed cookies in the microwave for 5 to 8 seconds if you want a just-baked feel.
Nutrition Information
Approximate per cookie, based on 24 cookies: 165 calories, 6 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 26 g carbohydrates, 18 g total sugars, 1 g protein, 115 mg sodium, 0.6 g fiber. These values vary by brand and exact glaze thickness.
Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the molasses and egg until combined.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until cookies are just set and edges begin to brown.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and enough milk to make a smooth, pourable glaze.
- Drizzle or spread the maple glaze over cooled cookies.
- Let glaze set before serving or storing.