This chewy gingerbread cookie is frosted with buttercream and is the best ginger cookie you will ever eat!
Ingredients
1cupunsalted butter, slightly softened*
1cupsugar
1egg PLUS one egg yolk
1cupmolasses, Curt prefers the Grandma's brand
1/2teaspoonsalt
1 1/2teaspoonsbaking soda
1tablespoonground ginger
1 1/4teaspoonsground cloves
1 1/4teaspoonsground cinnamon
4cupsall-purpose flour
Cutler's Buttercream Frosting
1/2cup butter, room temperature
4cupspowdered sugar
1teaspoonvanilla
dash of salt
2tablespoonsmilk, to thin
Instructions
Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set rack in the middle of the oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray the baking sheets. Set aside.
Mix butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 1 egg plus one egg yolk and molasses. Mix until combined.
Add the salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and flour to the bowl. Pulse the mixer a few times, then mix on low just until combined.
Scoop the cookies onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, about 6-8 per sheet. Once on the baking sheets, roll the dough balls into granulated sugar before baking. Do not flatten before baking.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Cookies are done when the top is crackled and the middle no longer looks wet or shiny.
Frosting:
Mix softened butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
Add vanilla and salt; mix well.
Add milk as needed to thin the frosting.
Frost cooled cookies and add sprinkles immediately after frosting. Store the cookies in a covered container in a single layer.
Notes
Curt's original recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup margarine. Shortening may also be used.
The butter in the cookie dough needs to be barely soft, not room temperature. If the butter is too soft, the cookies will spread while baking.
I use a #16 scoop, which holds about 4 tablespoons, or 1/4 cup, of dough. The cookies may be made using a smaller scoop.
The baking time can vary with this recipe, depending on altitude, temperature of butter, scoop size, etc., anywhere from 8-12 minutes. Make sure the cookie is set, with no wet or shiny spots on the top.
Cutler's uses a commercial cake flour in this recipe, but I've found all-purpose works best at home.
Cutler's also uses this dough for making gingerbread men. If rolling out and cutting dough, add an additional 2-3 tablespoons of flour and chill the dough for 2 hours before cutting. Generously flour the surface as well.
This cookie freezes well and can be refrigerated to set the frosting, then stacked in a container with parchment paper on top of each layer.