A thin, soft cookie loaded with warm spice flavors and topped with a rich brown sugar frosting.
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time15mins
Servings: 72cookies
Ingredients
1½cupsbutterlightly salted, room temperature
1cupgranulated white sugar
1cuplight brown sugarpacked
½cupmolasses
2eggsroom temperature
2tsppure vanilla extract
4½cupsall-purpose flour
2tspbaking soda
1/2tspsalt
1tbspground ginger
2tspground cinnamon
1/2tspground cloves
Cooked Brown Sugar Frosting
⅓cuplight brown sugarpacked
¼cupmilkwhole or 2% is fine
2tbspbutterlightly salted
2cupspowdered sugar
½tsppure vanilla extract
1pinchsalt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325
Cream together butter and sugars until mixture looks shaggy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add molasses and vanilla, stirring well to combine. Scrape down mixer to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix until well combined.
Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets or parchment-lined sheets. These will spread, so plan on 9 per half sheet if you don't want them to run into each other.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until set.
Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Cooked Brown Sugar Frosting
In a medium saucepan, melt together brown sugar, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 90 seconds, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat, and don't be concerned if the mixture looks a bit curdles.
Cool mixture for 3-5 minutes.
Whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk vigorously to remove any lumps of powdered sugar.
The frosting will get thicker as it cools. I find the easiest way to work with this frosting is to just load a tablespoon and pour the tablespoon onto the cookie, using the back of the spoon to spread.
Work fast, because when it cools, you can't work with it. If you're using sprinkles, add them immediately to every cookie (rather than waiting until all cookies are frosted).