Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies with Pumpkin-Butter Buttercream

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5 from 6 votes

Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies with Pumpkin-Butter Buttercream

Soft and chewy and well spiced old-fashioned cookies with a deliciously warm spiced buttercream frosting.

Prep Time55

Cook Time45

Total Time1 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookies, ginger, gingerbread, pumpkin, pumpkin spice

Servings: sandwich cookies

Calories: 179kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup unsulphured molasses
2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
2 large eggs
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
coarse sugar for coating
Pumpkin Butter Buttercream Frosting (see recipe below)

For the Buttercream:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 ½ ounces cream cheese room temperature
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Pumpkin Butter store bought or homemade (see recipe below)
1 ½ teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice or DIY recipe in Notes
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sifted powdered sugar more or less as needed for desired consistency

For the Pumpkin Butter:

1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin (puree)
⅔ cup unsweetened apple juice plus extra for thinning if needed for desired consistency
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup granulated sugar

Instructions

For the Cookies:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Whisk until blended. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat on medium until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the molasses and blend until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Repeat until all flour is blended. Scrape down the sides and blend one more time, just to make sure. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour about ½ cup of the coarse or granulated sugar into a bowl for rolling.
Scoop out some of the dough using a 1-inch cookie scoop or tablespoon. Roll the dough into a ball, then roll the ball in the coarse sugar.
Place the cookies on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Leave the cookies on the parchment paper for at least 5 minutes to cool. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough until all cookies are baked. *
Spread half the cookies with a about two teaspoons Pumpkin Butter Buttercream. Top with another cookie and gently press together.
Store filled cookies in the refrigerator. Remove 30 minutes before serving. Unfilled cookies need no refrigeration.

For the Buttercream:

In a small mixing bowl beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium until light and creamy. Add the pumpkin butter, vanilla and the pumpkin pie spice. Blend another minute until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.

For the Pumpkin Butter:

Mix all ingredients together in a medium heavy bottom sauce pan. Cook on medium high until it comes to a soft boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally or until thickened. Add additional apple juice if needed.

Notes

Don't let the raw cookie dough balls sit on a hot baking sheet. Use a cool baking sheet for each batch, or roll the cookies then place on a piece of parchment paper and set aside until read to bake.
This recipe makes about 80 (2-inch) cookies or 40 (2-inch) sandwich cookies.
Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies Adapted from a recipe on King Arthur Flour.
DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Blend or shake together in a small jar. Makes 2 teaspoons.
Pumpkin Butter makes 3 cups.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition