Ginger Molasses Cookies with Orange Frosting

And a few more cookie recipes!

Dec 20, 2022

Happy Holidays!

I genuinely hope this newsletter finds you well, wrapping up the busy parts of this season, and transitioning into celebratory times. I find myself, once again, baking cookie after cookie, and it is bringing me holiday joy.

My love of baking comes in no small part from wanting to show people that I am thinking of them. Over the past few years, it has become my tradition to bake dozens of cookies and package them for friends, coworkers, and family. In late November and early December, I search the web, cookbooks, and instagram for new recipes to try as well as return to old favorites. Like last year, I am sharing a round-up of many of the recipes I have grown to love.

For our monthly recipe, I was inspired to rethink ginger molasses cookies, a favorite of mine. I combined the spiced, slightly chewy cookies with a tangy frosting, and the result is a delicious treat to enjoy with a cup of tea. These cookies are quick and easy to make; you can whip up the frosting as the cookies cool and have tasty sandwich cookies in under 2 hours.

Ginger Molasses Cookies with Orange Buttercream Frosting

Yield: about 2 dozen cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

Ginger Molasses Cookies

1 ½ cups (189g) all-purpose flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

¾ cups (150g) sugar

¼ cup (80g) molasses

1 egg

Orange Buttercream Frosting

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups (250g) powdered sugar

½ orange, zested

½ tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon heavy cream

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together all-purpose flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar and molasses. Add the egg and stir until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix until the batter comes together and no streaks of flour remain.

Step 3

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, scoop about 10-12 cookies, about 1 tablespoon each. Bake 10-12 minutes until the cookies have spread out, puffed and start to look golden brown around the edges.

Step 4

While the cookies cool, in the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, paddle the butter until pale and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly, add about ¼ of the powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. On a low speed, add the remaining ingredients until mostly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and paddle until light and fluffy.

Step 5

Move the frosting to a piping bag with a tip (any design you like) or a sandwich bag and cut a hole in one of the corners. Pipe the frosting in an even layer on the bottom of a cookie then add another cookie to create a sandwich cookie. Repeat. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Enjoy!