Maple Glazed Gingerbread Cookies

Maple Glazed Gingerbread Cookies

These rolled gingerbread cookies have soft centers, warm molasses-and-spice flavor, and a floral pattern pressed into each round. A thin maple glaze adds a pale finish while leaving the brown stamped design visible.

Cool dough is the key to keeping that pattern clear: chill it before rolling, then briefly freeze the stamped rounds before baking. For cookies rolled about 1/4 inch thick, watch for set edges and slightly soft centers rather than relying on the clock alone.

Yield: About 18 cookies, depending on cutter size and rerolling
Prep: 30 minutes active, plus 1 hour chilling
Bake: 9–11 minutes per batch
Glaze setting: 30–60 minutes

Ingredients for Maple Glazed Gingerbread Cookies

Cookie dough

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus a little for rolling (315g)
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (115g)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (100g)
• 1/3 cup regular unsulphured molasses (115g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Maple glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (40g)
• 1–2 teaspoons warm water, only as needed

Use regular unsulphured molasses for a balanced gingerbread flavor. Blackstrap molasses can make the cookies taste more intense and bitter.

How to Make Maple Glazed Gingerbread Cookies

1. Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Make and chill the dough: Beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Mix in the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no flour remains and the dough is soft and cohesive. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
3. Roll, stamp, and cut: Line a light-colored baking sheet with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Press a floral or geometric stamp firmly into the dough without cutting through it, then cut rounds with an approximately 3-inch cutter. Place them about 2 inches apart on the sheet. Keep unused dough chilled.
4. Firm the rounds: Freeze the sheet of stamped cookies for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
5. Bake: Bake one sheet at a time, uncovered, for about 9–11 minutes. Start checking at 8 minutes, especially if the rounds are smaller or your oven runs hot. Remove them when the edges look set and may be lightly browned; the centers should still feel slightly soft. They will firm as they cool.
6. Cool completely: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet until sturdy enough to move, then transfer them to a wire rack. Let the sheet cool before using it for another batch.
7. Glaze: Stir the powdered sugar and maple syrup until smooth. If needed, add warm water a few drops at a time until the glaze is thin enough to brush but not watery. Brush a light coat over the completely cooled cookies, leaving the stamped pattern visible.
8. Let the glaze set: Leave the cookies uncovered in a single layer for 30–60 minutes, until the glaze feels dry and no longer transfers easily.

How to Keep the Stamped Pattern Clear

If the dough sticks to the stamp or work surface, use a light dusting of flour rather than working more flour into it. If it becomes warm and sticky while you shape the cookies, chill it again. Firm dough, a clear impression, a cool baking sheet, and the brief freezer rest all help keep the design from spreading flat. For another shaped-cookie option, try no-spread gingerbread cutout cookies.

Maple Glaze Consistency

Mix the powdered sugar and maple syrup before adding any water; the amount needed can vary. Add water only a few drops at a time. The glaze should brush on lightly enough to accent the pattern, not pool over it. If it becomes too thin, stir in a little more powdered sugar.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing

Covered dough can be made ahead and refrigerated. Let it soften only enough to roll while keeping it cool. Dough can also be frozen; thaw it in the refrigerator until workable, then roll and stamp.

Once the glaze has fully set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about a week, separating layers with parchment if needed. Baked cookies can be frozen in a well-wrapped, airtight container and thawed before serving.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 18 cookies: 180 calories, 2g protein, 6g fat, and 31g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 390 calories, 5g protein, 12g fat, and 67g carbohydrates. Values vary with cookie size and the amount of glaze used.