These stamped Bourbon Glazed Gingerbread Cookies are a delightful blend of spicy and warm gingerbread and a boozy bourbon-infused glaze!
A spicy gingerbread dough is stamped with a beautiful print and baked into these soft gingerbread tiles. Whether you're baking for festive gatherings or cozy nights by the fire, these cookies are sure to be a hit!
I love holiday cookie baking and these cookies would be perfect in a holiday cookie box with these toasted coconut pecan cookies, soft pecan banana bread cookies, sorghum cookies, and bourbon shortbread cookies.
These cookies were inspired by the soft gingerbread tiles in Yotam Ottolenghi's and Helen Goh's cookbook Sweet. I have always been such a Yotam Ottolenghi fan and love all his cookbooks, and those cookies looked so beautiful and made me want to make my own version! I have adjusted and punched up the spices with these cookies, changed the texture, and opted for a vanilla bourbon glaze!
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⭐ Why I Love This Recipe:
- Spicy and Warm Gingerbread! This recipe is full of ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves and packs a flavorful punch of spice in each bite!
- Sweet and Boozy Bourbon Vanilla Glaze! The cookies are then glazed with a delicious glaze made of powdered sugar, bourbon, and vanilla.
- Gorgeous Statement Cookie: these cookies look so pretty on a holiday platter but take minimal effort!
🥘 Key Ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the base structure for the cookies.
- Spices: Ground Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, and Allspice create the signature gingerbread flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the dough.
- Brown Sugar: Imparts a deep, caramel-like sweetness.
- Egg yoke: Provides structure and moisture.
- Molasses: Adds a rich, robust flavor to the gingerbread.
- Powdered Sugar: Forms the base of the sweet glaze.
- Bourbon: Infuses the glaze with a warm, sophisticated flavor.
🥃 What's The Best Bourbon For This Glaze?
I love a classic but affordable bourbon for this recipe, like Four Roses or Woodford Reserve. Since it is mixed with so much sugar, this isn't the occasion you use your treasured bourbon.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses to a large bowl. Stir until combined. Add in, then mix in the egg yolk.
Step 2: Mix the remaining ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly dusted surface and knead.
Step 3: Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness and then use cookie stamps to imprint your desired design. Use cookie or biscuit cutters to finish cutting out the cookies.
Step 4: Transfer the cut cookies to a lined baking tray and freeze for 10 minutes, then bake the cookies on a lined baking sheet for 9-10 minutes.
Step 5: Make the glaze by combining the ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 6: Gaze the cookies.
📖 Flavor Variations and Substitutions:
- Orange Zest Twist: Add a teaspoon of orange zest to the gingerbread dough for a citrusy kick.
- Add Candied Ginger: Mix in finely chopped candied ginger for an extra burst of ginger flavor and a chewy texture.
- Maple Glaze: switch out the bourbon for maple syrup for a non-alcoholic version. You should add a little more warm water to reach the right consistency.
💭 Expert Tips:
- Knead the Dough: For easier handling, knead the gingerbread cookie dough until it's easily pliable before rolling.
- Evenly Stamp the Cookies: to get an even impression, stamp towards the center of the dough is the most even. If your stamp is sticking, dust the dough with a little flour.
- Adjust Glaze Consistency: If the glaze is too thick, add a little more bourbon or water. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar until you achieve the desired consistency.
- Store Properly: To keep the cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen for longer storage.
FAQ
Absolutely! Whiskey or rum can be excellent substitutes for bourbon.
Yes, you can refrigerate the gingerbread cookie dough for up to 24 hours before baking.
Yes, you can omit the bourbon from the glaze and substitute it with water or milk if desired.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough; just be sure to bring them to room temperature before baking.
Here's A Video Showing How To Make This Recipe:
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Bourbon Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16-18 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookie
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
These stamped Bourbon Glazed Gingerbread Cookies are a delightful blend of spicy gingerbread warmth and a boozy bourbon-infused glaze!
Ingredients
Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup blackstrap molasses
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 cups flour plus extra for pressing
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ salt
Glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp warm water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses to a large bowl. Stir until combined. Add in the egg yoke and mix.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly dusted surface and knead.
- Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness and then use cookie stamps to imprint your desired design. Use cookie or biscuit cutters to finish cutting out the cookies.
- Transfer the cut cookies to a lined baking tray and freeze for 10 minutes.
- Bake the cookies on a lined baking sheet for 9-10 minutes.
- While the cookies cool make the glaze by adding the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of bourbon and stir until combined. Add the vanilla and stir again. If the mixture is still thick and not a brushable consistency, add more bourbon for a little bit of time until the right consistency is reached.
- Brush the glaze on top of the cookies and let set.
Notes
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough; just be sure to bring them to room temperature before baking.
- *Measure your flour properly. This is my best baking tip! I typically fluff my flour, then scoop and level.
- If your cookie stamps stick to the dough, add a bit of flour to the dough before stamping.
Elizabeth says
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Sue Mizell says
Absolutely perfect recipe! The cookies were delicious. I’m adding this recipe to my collection.
Pate Giltner says
I’m so glad you liked them ❤️
Lori says
Where do we get the cookie stamp?
Pate Giltner says
Hi! I got this one from Nordic Ware 🙂
Matthew David Meyer says
Where can I get the stamp?
Alexandra says
The cookie was a little too dry/bitter for my taste, so I would play around with it to make it more to my liking. BUT the glaze was wonderful & I plan to reuse that part of the recipe! Also they look beautiful!
Patrick W Johnson says
If I’m unable to find blackstrap molasses, will regular molasses work okay?
Michelle Webb says
So good! Made them for my husband and his bourbon loving friends, they raved and said my best cookie yet!! They turned out picture perfect with my Williams-Sonoma cookie stamps! Next time I make - I will for sure double the recipe.
Cat G says
Best cookies Ive ever made. Im so proud. Just the lovely aroma is worth it! Thank you for the recipe!!
Mollie Pratt says
Question: what kind of cocoa powder? Unsweetened? Dutch processed?
Am planning to bake these delicious looking cookies this Thursday w my granddaughter. Thank you!
Charlie F says
Crowd pleaser! Everyone at my family’s Christmas gathering loved them. I found the dough to be too wet/loose after mixing, so I chilled it in the fridge for a couple hours before stamping—just leaving this tip in case it happens to anyone else. I’ll definitely be making these every year!