Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookies – Soft and cake like ginger spice cookie with cream cheese frosting and a rich caramel swirl.
Get ready for a festive favorite this holiday season with my Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookies! These soft gingerbread cookies bring the warmth of spices, the sweetness of homemade caramel sauce, and the creamy indulgence of fluffy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, or just cozying up with your favorite treats, these cookies are bound to be a hit!
For more cookie recipes, here are some that you will love!
- Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies Recipe
- The Best Peppermint Kiss Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookie With Frosting
Why You’ll Love These Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookie
- Chewy gingerbread cookies with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Festive holiday flavors from gingerbread spice and a small amount of caramel.
- A luscious, fluffy cream cheese frosting swirled with homemade caramel sauce.
- Perfect for Christmas cookie season or any holiday occasion!
- They store well in an airtight container, making them ideal for prepping ahead.
Ingredients – Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookies
Need help curating you grocery list, here is some things that you might not have on hand but will need when making this recipe! for a full list, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page!
- Granulated sugar – This recipe does use a combination of white and brown sugar.
- Light corn syrup – You can try to sub honey, but will take some tweaking to make sure your caramel doesn’t crystalize.
- Heavy cream – You try to use whole milk, although the milk will make the mixture more runny.
- Pure vanilla extract – Use whatever you can afford. Vanilla is pricey! Here is my affordable one and here is my favorite brand if i want to splurge
- Unsalted butter – This shouldn’t come as a suprise!
- Dark brown sugar – This time of year I love swapping out my light brown sugar for my dark brown sugar. It makes everything just have a deeper rich flavor!
- Molasses – Make sure you use unsulphured!
- All-purpose flour – Just a tip, when measuring your flour, make sure you spoon and level it!
- Ground spices – this includes, cinnamon ginger, and nutmeg!
- Cream cheese – Here is the deal, I used to by the store brand, but recently learned that the store brand and Philadelphia brand are completely different, and in fact, when you are buying the more expensive one, you really are paying for a better quality! Philadelphia has a higher fat content!
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Caramel Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the water, granulated sugar, and corn syrup.
- Heat over medium until it boils. Avoid stirring to prevent crystallization.
- Continue boiling until it turns a golden brown, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Warm the heavy cream in the microwave for 1 minute.
- Remove caramel from heat, then slowly whisk in the warm cream.
- Stir in vanilla extract, salt, and butter until smooth. Let cool while you prepare the cookies.
2. Prepare the Cookie Dough
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the large egg, vanilla extract, and molasses. Mix on low speed until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt. Mix on low until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto the baking sheet, flattening slightly to about 1 inch thick.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Cool cookies on a cooling rack before frosting.
3. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing on medium-high speed. Add heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Beat for 3-5 minutes until fluffy.
4. Assemble the Cookies
- Spread or pipe frosting onto each cooled cookie using a piping bag.
- Add a swirl of caramel on top of the frosting for a festive finish!
Tips and Tricks
- Chill for best texture: These cookies are best enjoyed chilled for an extra chewy texture!
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Make it ahead: Both the caramel sauce and frosting can be made a few days in advance and stored in a ziploc bag or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix the dough just until combined for a chewy texture.
- Use Fresh Spices: Fresh spices enhance flavor; replace yearly if possible. This includes baking soda and baking powder!
- Watch the Caramel: Cook caramel until bubbles are large and slow. Use a light pan to see the color change better.
Recommended Tools – Caramel Gingerbread Cookies
- Electric mixer with paddle attachment
- Cookie scoop for consistent cookie sizes
- Parchment paper for easy cleanup
- Cooling rack for perfect cooling
- Piping bag for swirling the frosting
FAQs
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes! Store baked, unfrosted cookies in a freezer bag for up to a month.
What makes these cookies soft?
The combination of unsalted butter, brown sugar, and molasses creates a chewy texture.
Can I add other spices?
Absolutely! A dash of ground nutmeg or extra ground cloves will intensify that gingerbread flavor.
Can I make these cookies without the cream cheese frosting?
Yes, the cookies are delicious on their own! You can even dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle them with caramel for a simpler treat.
Can I use store-bought caramel sauce?
Absolutely! While homemade caramel adds a special touch, store-bought caramel works if you’re short on time.
What if I don’t have molasses?
Molasses gives gingerbread its signature flavor, but in a pinch, you can substitute maple syrup or honey. Keep in mind, the flavor will be lighter.
Storing and Freezing
Store the Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, place them in the refrigerator, where they’ll stay fresh for up to a week. If you prefer a chilled texture, serve them directly from the fridge!
Freezing – Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookies
To freeze, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Then, transfer the cookies to an airtight container or freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper. They’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to a month—just thaw in the fridge before serving!
For more gingerbread recipes here are some that you should try!
- Festive Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- Chewy Gingerbread Snickerdoodles Recipe
- The Best Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Tart
If you loved these Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookies don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating and a comment! I’d love to hear your feedback or answer any questions you have! Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. I post so many fun things on all platforms.
Recipe
Frosted Caramel Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the Caramel Sauce (Do First):
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter added to the caramel at the end
For the cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon molasses
- 1 & ⅔ cup all purpose flour spoon and leveled
- 2 teaspoon corn starch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Caramel Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the water, sugar, and corn syrup.1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Heat over medium until it begins to boil. Once boiling, do not stir to avoid crystallization.
- Continue boiling until the mixture turns golden brown. Be cautious as it can go from light brown to burnt fast, so keep an eye on it! The bubbles will start off small and fast as it caramelizes the bubbles then will get bigger and slower.
- Meanwhile, microwave the heavy cream for 1 minute to warm it.
- Once the caramel reaches a golden color, remove from heat and slowly add the warm cream while whisking constantly.¾ cup heavy cream
- Stir in the vanilla extract, salt, and butter until fully combined.2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter added to the caramel at the end
- Transfer the caramel to a heat proof bowl or container and let it cool. While the caramel cools, make the cookies.
For the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a stand size mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed together until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes½ cup unsalted butter room temperature, ½ cup dark brown sugar
- With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses, and mix on low until smooth.1 large egg room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoon molasses
- On the lowest speed, add all of the all purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Mix just until combined and there are no more flour streaks.1 & ⅔ cup all purpose flour spoon and leveled, 2 teaspoon corn starch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Using a 3 tablespoon size cookie scoop, scoop out cookie dough balls, place them on the baking sheet and gently flatten the cookies to about 1 inch in thickness. I used a flat bottom cup, but you can use the palm of your hand. Place them about 3 inches apart.
- Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool fully. Once the cookies are out of the oven cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy and smooth.4 ounces cream cheese softened, ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat for another 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once combined, add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 3 cups powdered sugar, Pinch of salt
- Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Assembly:
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting onto the cookies.
- Use the tip of an offset spatula to swirl a bit of salted caramel on top of the cream cheese frosting.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled. These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Note: These cookies are best enjoyed chilled from the fridge!
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