Iced Gingerbread Santa Cookies
These Christmas Cookies are so much fun to make and so delicious! I made this recipe with a perfectly spiced gingerbread cookie filled with ginger and molasses, then formed them in an adorable Santa Mold. I got this Santa mold from Amazon, which you can find by clicking here! After the cookies were baked and cooled, they were brushed with a delicious vanilla glaze. This is one of the coziest, most delicious cookies you can bake this Holiday season, and I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
How To Make Iced Gingerbread Santa Cookies
This recipe is super easy to make & comes together to form a nice soft dough that needs chilling before assembling. The chilling is key here, so that the cookie dough doesn’t stick to the mold. After the cookies are baked and cooled, the icing is the most satisfying part. Let’s break it down!
- Start by lining two cookie sheets with parchment paper and setting them aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and black pepper (if using). This spice blend is what gives the cookies their classic gingerbread warmth.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla extract, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms — it may look crumbly at first, but it will come together.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This step is essential for working with a wooden mold and ensures clean, detailed cookies.
- Once chilled, cut the dough into 2-inch cubes, keeping unused dough in the fridge while you work. Generously flour the mold, press the dough firmly into every groove, flatten with a rolling pin, then invert and tap to release. If sticking occurs, briefly freezing the mold helps.
- Place the molded cookies on the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate while the oven preheats to 350°F. Bake for 8–10 minutes, then cool completely before icing.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the dough thoroughly — cold dough is key for crisp mold details
- Flour the mold generously before every cookie
- Work with small portions of dough to keep everything cold
- If cookies stick, freeze the mold for 10 minutes
- Let cookies cool fully before icing to prevent melting or soaking
Key Ingredients
- Ginger provides warmth and that signature gingerbread bite
- Cinnamon adds cozy sweetness and depth
- Cloves bring a rich, slightly smoky holiday flavor
- Cocoa powder deepens color and adds subtle richness without tasting chocolatey
- Molasses gives chew, moisture, and classic gingerbread flavor
- Black pepper (optional) enhances warmth and rounds out the spices beautifully
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How to Store Iced Gingerbread Santa Cookies
Once iced and fully set, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, un-iced cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Simply thaw at room temperature and ice before serving. Oh, and one important thing to note, if stacking cookies, place parchment paper between layers to protect the icing :)
Recipe Variations
- Skip the icing for a more traditional molded gingerbread cookie
- Add orange zest to the dough for a citrusy twist
- Use royal icing instead of vanilla icing for a crisper finish
- Lightly dust cookies with powdered sugar for a rustic look
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice for extra warmth
Iced Gingerbread Santa Cookies
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12
servings15
minutes8
minutesKeep the screen of your device on.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper (optional)
7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Vanilla Icing
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar (more as needed)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 water (more as needed)
Directions
- Find the link to the Santa mold I used on Amazon, here! Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Let mix for about 2 minutes. until light and creamy.
- Add the egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla. Continue to mix. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add in the dry ingredients. Mix to combine. A soft dough should come together. It may look crumbly at first, but it will come together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, sealing it tightly, then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Skipping the chilling time will cause the dough to stick to the wooden mold.
- Once the dough has chilled completely, cut the dough into cubes about 2″ each.
- Keep the rest of the dough in the fridge, working with one cube at a time so that the dough stays chilled. Dust the mold generously with flour in each groove, then press the dough into the mold, and add more dough as needed to fill the mold completely. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough in the mold nicely, then flip the mold over and tap it on the counter to release the cookie. If the cookie is sticking to the mold, try placing the mold in the freezer for about 10 minutes; this will also help reduce any sticking. If the dough is cold, sticking shouldn’t be an issue. Dust the flour off the cookie, then place it onto the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat these steps until all of your dough is used up.
- Place the cookies in the fridge while you wait for the oven to preheat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Once the cookies have chilled and the oven has preheated, bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Vanilla Icing
- To make the icing, melt the butter in a small dish. Add the remaining ingredients. You may need to adjust the confectioner’s sugar and water amounts slightly to get the consistency just right. The icing should be thin enough for you to brush onto a cookie with a pastry brush, and the icing should barely soak into the cookie but remain a nice layer enough for you to see. Test the consistency out on one cookie before icing all of them.
- Repeat for each cookie and enjoy!
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