Description
These lighter soft gingerbread cookies are a love letter to a beloved Portland bakery, featuring warm spices and a bright orange cream cheese icing. With smart swaps like Greek yogurt and whole wheat pastry flour, they offer a soft, pillowy texture without the heaviness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup (110 grams) unsulphured molasses
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Beat in the molasses, Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or folding with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
- Once the dough is chilled, use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion out 1.5-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball between your palms until smooth. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cookies should look puffed and set around the edges but still soft in the center.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, make the orange cream cheese icing. In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or drizzle the icing over the top. Let the icing set for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. Use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap. Fresh orange juice is non-negotiable for the icing. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze un-iced cookies for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 14
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 3.5
- Carbohydrates: 21
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: soft gingerbread cookies, lighter gingerbread, orange cream cheese icing, holiday cookies, gingerbread recipe