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If you haven’t noticed, I love fall: the weather, the decor, the entertaining, and especially the baking! Have you ever noticed that when it’s fall, baking is somehow instantly cozier? The cool winds may be blowing outside, but inside, the oven warms my kitchen (and I hope yours, too!), and the spices add a nice warmth to the baked goods. For me, these spiced ginger cutout cookies are the quintessential autumnal cookie (and, of course, perfect as October’s cookie of the month).
These cookies are flavored with real ginger and sweetened with molasses. And since I made them oversized – some may say giant – and decorated them with a spiced buttercream frosting, they are my go-to for any trick-or-treaters that may stop by. Sadly, since I live way out in the country, not many kids actually stop by. But each year, I make sure to have plenty of baked goods and homemade candies on hand, just in case!
These spice cookies just so happen to be one of my personal favorites. Not only because they’re straight-up delicious but because it’s a recipe that’s been passed down from my great grandma (with a few tweaks). Since they’re what I’d call an iconic fall cookie, I hope you’ll want to make this one of your family recipes as well!
Watch how to make these spiced ginger cutout cookies
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Spiced Ginger Cutout Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- ½ cup sour milk (2 tsp vinegar with ½ cup milk)
- 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the spiced buttercream frosting
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ¾ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp maple extract (optional)
- 2-3 cups sifted powdered sugar
- food coloring gels (optional)
Instructions
For the cookies
- Cream butter and slowly add granulated sugar with the mixer running. Mix until light and fluffy.8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- In a separate bowl, place molasses and stir in baking soda until incorporated. Set aside.1 cup molasses, 2 tsp baking soda
- Add grated ginger, black pepper, and salt to creamed butter and sugar and mix.2 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt
- Add molasses and soda.
- Mix and slowly add flour.5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- When the flour is mixed in, add the sour milk and continue mixing until incorporated.½ cup sour milk (2 tsp vinegar with ½ cup milk)
- Roll out to approximately ⅜-inch thick and cut out. I use pumpkin cutters of different sizes (originally from Target but no longer available). If the dough seems too sticky to roll out, you may chill for a while to make it easier to work with.
- Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. The cookies will puff and spread slightly.
- Let cool on a baking pan for five minutes and then on a rack until completely cool.
For the frosting
- Cream butter and shortening.8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- Add the cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and maple extract, mixing to incorporate.¾ tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp maple extract (optional)
- Slowly add powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency (I use 3 cups).2-3 cups sifted powdered sugar
- Separate frosting and create desired colors if you choose.food coloring gels (optional)
- Decorate or frost cookies.
Can you freeze this dough?