Frosted Gingerbread Cookies
Small-Batch Frosted Gingerbread Cookies
There’s nothing more comforting during the holiday baking season than a batch of soft, warmly spiced Frosted Gingerbread Cookies. This small-batch recipe makes 10–12 perfectly chewy cookies, ideal for decorating, gifting, or enjoying with a cozy mug of hot chocolate.
If you love traditional gingerbread but don’t want a huge batch, this simple recipe gives you all the festive flavor in a manageable size — perfect for small households, cookie boxes, or when you want a quick holiday treat.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
These gingerbread cookies check all the boxes for holiday baking:
Small batch: makes just the right amount
Soft and chewy: with lightly crisp edges
Classic warm spices: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
Easy vanilla frosting: spreads or pipes beautifully
Fun to decorate: perfect for kids or cookie decorating parties
Great for gifting: the frosting sets nicely
Freeze-friendly: dough or baked cookies freeze well
Tools You’ll Need
You don’t need anything fancy — just the basics.
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Measuring cups + spoons
Parchment-lined baking sheet
Rolling pin
Cookie cutters (any shapes, optional)
Cooling rack
Small bowl for frosting
Having a simple setup helps these cookies come together quickly, making this recipe great for spontaneous baking sessions.
Ingredients for Small-Batch Gingerbread Cookies
Dry Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp cloves
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 small egg (or whisk a large egg and measure out 2 tbsp)
¼ cup molasses
½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp melted butter
1–2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
How to Make Small-Batch Frosted Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: Make the Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. This chilling step helps the dough firm up and prevents spreading.
Step 2: Roll & Cut the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness.
Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes (trees, stars, gingerbread people, snowflakes — anything festive).
Place the shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake
Bake for 8–10 minutes, depending on the size of your cutters.
The edges should look set, but the centers should stay soft.
Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Step 4: Make the Frosting
Whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt.
Add milk slowly until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Less milk = thicker for piping
More milk = thinner for spreading
Tint with food coloring if you want festive colors.
Step 5: Decorate
Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the frosting onto each cookie. Add sprinkles, color accents, or keep them classic with simple white icing.
The frosting sets nicely, making the cookies easy to package or stack.
Serving Ideas
These cookies shine anywhere during the holiday season:
Add them to a Christmas cookie box
Serve with hot cocoa, chai, or mulled cider
Gift them in cellophane bags tied with ribbon
Decorate with kids at a holiday party
Serve at cookie swaps or winter gatherings
They’re just as good with a morning coffee as they are for dessert.
Pro Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Cookies
Don’t skip chilling—it makes a huge difference in shape and texture.
Roll evenly so the cookies bake uniformly.
Use lighter-colored baking sheets to avoid overbrowning.
Pull them early for soft cookies; gingerbread dries quickly in the oven.
Use parchment or silicone mats for the cleanest edges.
Troubleshooting
If something goes wrong, here’s how to fix it next time:
Cookies spread too much
Dough wasn’t chilled long enough
Butter was too soft
Oven was too warm
Cookies are too dry
Baked too long
Rolled too thin
Used blackstrap molasses (too strong)
Frosting is too runny
Add more powdered sugar
Chill briefly before decorating
Dough cracks while rolling
Dough is too cold; let it sit 5 minutes before rolling
Variations
Make this recipe your own with fun twists:
Citrus twist: add orange zest to the frosting
Chocolate-dipped: dip half of each cookie in melted white or dark chocolate
Spicier version: increase ginger to 2 tsp
Sugar-dusted: skip frosting and dust warm cookies with powdered sugar
Sprinkle edging: roll the edges in festive sprinkles before baking
How to Store Gingerbread Cookies
Room temperature
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze dough
Freeze wrapped dough for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Freeze baked cookies
Unfrosted: Freeze for up to 3 months.
Frosted: Freeze flat on a sheet pan, then transfer to a container.
This makes them perfect for preparing ahead of the holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! Simply double all ingredients for 20–24 cookies.
Do I need to chill the dough?
Yes — chilling is essential for clean shapes and thick, soft cookies.
What type of molasses is best?
Use unsulfured molasses. Avoid blackstrap, which is too bitter for cookies.
Can I make these dairy-free?
Yes. Swap butter for vegan butter and use plant milk in the frosting.
Can I add more spice?
Absolutely! Increase ginger or add a pinch of allspice for extra warmth.
Can I color the icing?
Yes — use gel coloring for the best vibrancy without thinning.
How thick should I roll the dough?
About ¼ inch. Thinner = crispier, thicker = softer.
Printable Recipe Card
Ingredients
Cookies
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp cloves
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 small egg (or 2 tbsp whisked large egg)
¼ cup molasses
½ tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp melted butter
1–2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl.
Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add egg, molasses, and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
Chill for 1 hour.
Roll to ¼ inch, cut shapes, and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.
Whisk frosting ingredients and decorate cooled cookies.
