Description
Delightful gingerbread cookies from Vermont blend warm spices and sweet maple glaze into winter’s perfect treat. Comforting flavors and festive charm invite seasonal celebrations with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (80 ml) molasses
- 2 tsps ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsps pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Blend Dry Components: Sift flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl, creating a harmonious spice blend.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Whip butter, granulated and brown sugars in a spacious mixing bowl until light and fluffy, developing a smooth, aerated base.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Mix molasses, egg, and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture, ensuring complete and even integration of liquid elements.
- Form Dough: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to create a cohesive cookie dough without overworking.
- Chill Dough: Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour, allowing flavors to meld and texture to stabilize.
- Prepare Baking Environment: Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Shape and Bake: Roll chilled dough into tablespoon-sized spheres, spacing them evenly on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges firm and centers remain slightly soft.
- Cool and Rest: Transfer cookies to the baking sheet for five minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Create Maple Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract until achieving a smooth, drizzle-friendly consistency.
- Finish and Decorate: Drizzle cooled cookies with maple glaze using a spoon or piping technique, allowing glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Chill Dough Properly: Refrigerate for at least one hour to enhance flavor development and prevent excessive spreading during baking, ensuring a more structured and compact cookie.
- Measure Ingredients Precisely: Use exact measurements, especially for spices, to maintain the perfect balance of warm, aromatic gingerbread flavor without overwhelming the palate.
- Handle Dough Gently: Avoid overmixing when combining wet and dry ingredients to prevent tough cookies, stopping just when ingredients are incorporated for a tender, soft texture.
- Control Baking Time Carefully: Watch cookies closely during the 8-10 minute baking window, removing them when edges are firm but centers remain slightly soft to guarantee a perfectly chewy consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg