Salted Caramel Soft Gingerbread Cookies
These Soft Gingerbread Cookies are topped with a Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting and (super easy) Salted Caramel swirl for the most decadent holiday cookie that will just melt in your mouth!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Unsalted Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Molasses
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Flaky Sea Salt
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Ginger
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Heavy Whipping Cream
How to Make a One Ingredient Caramel:
This is one of my favorite baking hacks, because it takes less than 5 minutes of prep time and is pretty hands off! It does resemble more dolce de leech flavors, than caramel BUT when you’re looking for an easy homemade caramel recipe – this will do the trick!
You can simply add the can of sweetened condensed milk to a deep saucepan and cover with water. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and bring the water to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to LOW heat to simmer for 3-4 hours. You may need to keep topping off with warm water so the can stays submerged in water.
TIP: Once you open the can, if you find the caramel is not an amber gold color, you can just pour the contents into a clean saucepan. Stir consistently over medium low heat until desired caramel. You can also do this to help heat it up when you drizzle onto the cookies.
How to Store Leftover Frosted Cookies:
Since these are frosted, they will only last about 2 days at room temperature and up to 3-4 days in the fridge. However, if you don’t frost the soft gingerbread cookies, those will last up to 5-6 days on the counter!
Bake with me!
Salted Caramel Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the Soft Gingerbread Cookies:
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- 2 large Eggs preferably at room temp
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. Molasses
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
- 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
(Optional) For the Homemade Salted Caramel:
- 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Flaky Sea Salt
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 2-3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 2-3 tbsp. Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
For the Salted Caramel:
- If you’re not using store-bought caramel, you can simply add the can of sweetened condensed milk to a deep saucepan and cover with water. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and bring the water to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to LOW heat to simmer for 3-4 hours. You may need to keep topping off with warm water so the can stays submerged in water.
- TIP: Once you open the can, if you find the caramel is not an amber gold color, you can just pour the contents into a clean saucepan. Stir consistently over medium low heat until desired caramel. You can also do this to help heat it up when you drizzle onto the cookies.
For the Soft Gingerbread Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 1-2 large baking pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Beat 2-3 minutes, until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating each time until well-combined.
- Mix in the molasses.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger. Mix just until combined.
- Using a large ice cream scooper (about 1/3 cup batter per cookie), distribute the cookies 3″ apart from one another on the prepared pans.
- (Optional) Roll each cookie dough piece in more granulated cane sugar.
- Gently mash down the cookie dough pieces with your fingers to 1/2″ thick.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, just until the centers have puffed up. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and immediately tap on the stovetop 2-3 times to interrupt the baking process. If you prefer crunchy edges, bake another 2-3 minutes.
- Let cool on the baking pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer for 2-3 minutes, then add 1 cup powdered sugar. Once well-combined, add 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream. Repeat the process until a very light and fluffy buttercream Fold in the vanilla bean paste last.
To Assemble:
- Frost the cookies once completely cooled, then drizzle with the caramel. Add flaky sea salt, as desired. Enjoy!
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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My family loved this!
Taste great, the cookies themselves were beautifully soft and fluffy, and cooked very well in 12-13 mins. I will alter a few things next time I make them (especially for non-americans — its very sweet): I halved the icing recipe, and then further reduced the icing sugar to 3/4 cup icing sugar.
I loved it with the dulche de luche-style caramel, but the toppings do overpower the gingerbread flavour, so I’ll be adding more ginger and maybe a little more molasses.