These Frosted Molasses Cookies are tender, chewy, and made with simple ingredients. The creamy vanilla buttercream pairs perfectly with these rich cookies, but they are equally delicious on their own.
Soft Molasses Cookies with Icing
If you love soft molasses cookies, then you’ve got to try these Frosted Molasses Cookies. They’re made with butter, sugar, molasses, and all the ingredients that make a knock-out holiday cookie recipe.
They can be made for any occasion but we love making them around the holidays. You also may want to double the recipe – they’re that good! These cute cookies are the perfect neighbor gift or treat for your favorite teacher. They pair perfectly with our creamy vanilla buttercream frosting or even a lemon glaze.
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Key Ingredients
- Butter – your butter for both the cookie dough and the frosting needs to be soft.
- Brown Sugar – I like to use dark brown sugar for these since it adds an even deeper molasses flavor. You could use light brown sugar as well.
- Egg – any type of large egg works great.
- Molasses – use your favorite brand.
- All-Purpose Flour – any kind of all-purpose flour works great for these cookies.
- Baking Soda – this helps the cookies stay nice and chewy.
- Spices – for this recipe I use a combination of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Feel free to adjust to your own liking.
- Powdered Sugar – for frosting, I like to use powdered sugar because it doesn’t have any grittiness.
- Milk – whole milk is my first choice for thinning down this frosting, but 2% will work.
How To Make Molasses Cookies With Frosting
- Mix the cookie dough. In an electric mixing bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy and then add the egg and molasses, mix again In a different medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger powder, ground cloves, and salt. Mix with a wire whisk until mixed thoroughly. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
- Scoop the cookie dough. Roll the dough into 1 1/4″ balls and place them on a greased cookie sheet.
- Bake. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges. Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before placing them on wire cooling racks.
- Make the vanilla buttercream. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat again. Add the powdered sugar and beat until the mixture has pea-sized clumps. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is light and fluffy. (You want it soft enough to spread but firm enough to hold it’s shaped)
- Frost the cookies. Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost as desired. Enjoy!
Storing and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Fridge- You can make the cookie dough ahead of time. It will last in the fridge for a couple of weeks in an airtight container. You can also store the baked Frosted Molasses Cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer- Like most cookie doughs, this dough can be frozen and baked at a later date. Simply scoop into balls and place on a parchment-lined pan and freeze until solid. Once frozen, remove from the cookie sheet and place in a freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- To Bake Frozen Cookies: Defrost for an hour or two in the fridge and bake as directed. If the dough is very cold, you may need to add a minute or two of cook time.
Frosted Molasses Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- sprinkles
Instructions
Molasses Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In an electric mixing bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluff, then add the egg and molasses and mix again on low speed.
- In a different medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger powder, ground cloves, and salt. Mix with a wire whisk until mixed thoroughly, then add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir to combine.
- Scoop and roll the dough into 1¼" balls and place them on a greased cookie sheet about 2" apart.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges. Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before placing them on wire cooling racks.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat again, then add the powdered sugar and mix until pea-sized clumps form.
- Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is light, fluffy, and soft enough to spread but firm enough to hold it's shaped.
- Once the cookies have cooled, frost and decorate with sprinkles. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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More Christmas cookie recipes
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Andes Mint Cookies
- Gingersnap Cookies
- Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- More Cookie Recipes
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These Molasses Cookies are soft and chewy! This delicious cookie recipe is made with simple ingredients and can be enjoyed with or without frosting. Happy holiday baking!
