Iced Ginger Molasses Cookies are a delicious and festive treat that are perfect for the holiday season. These iced cookies are made with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, and are coated in a sweet spiced icing that perfectly complements the rich, molasses flavor of the cookies.
Cookie dough: In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon, whisk to combine and set aside.
In a separate bowl, using an electric handheld mixer or stand mixer, cream together the unsalted butter and light brown sugar. Add in the egg and molasses. Blend well to combine.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir well to combine. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour, this will help the amazing flavors develop and deepen.
Icing: While the dough is chilling, prepare the icing for the cookies. In a medium size bowl, combine the powder sugar, cinnamon, almond extract, and heavy cream, mix until smooth. If needed, add a little heavy cream, mixing until the desired consistency has been achieved. Let sit until you are ready to top the cookies.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and scoop into balls that are about 1 ½ inches - 2 inches. Place the dough balls onto the prepared cooking sheets at least 2 inches apart from each other.
Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will be slightly firm to the touch and look like they are beginning to crack when they are done.
Cool & Assemble: Allow your baked cookies to cool on a pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Once the cookies have cooled, top each one with icing by using a butter knife. Allow the icing to sit on the cookies for 5 minutes to set before serving. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Iced ginger cookies will stay fresh for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. To extend the life of the cookies, store in the fridge. To freeze cookies, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.