Soft Gingerbread Swig Sugar Cookies
User Reviews
4.7
Soft Gingerbread Swig Sugar Cookies
Description
The cookie dough blends softened salted butter, oil, and sugars with an array of warm spices, giving the cookies their signature gingerbread flavor. Molasses adds depth and chewiness, while sour cream contributes moisture and tenderness to the crumb. Baking soda and powder provide leavening for gentle rise. The dough is portioned into uniform balls that are rolled in sugar before baking to form a slightly crackled and sugary surface.
The accompanying frosting combines butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream to achieve a smooth consistency that can be adjusted by varying the liquid. For holiday variation, rum extract and eggnog can replace vanilla and milk for a seasonal twist, or crushed peppermint candies can be added for a minty crunch. The soft texture of the cookies contrasts nicely with the creamy, tangy frosting.
This recipe can be doubled easily to make larger batches, and measuring flour lightly or slightly reducing quantity helps in dry or high-altitude environments. These cookies work well for gifting or gatherings due to their vibrant spice balance and moist crumb.
Ingredients
Cookies:
- ½ cup butter salted, softened
- ⅓ cup neutral-flavored oil
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses not black strap
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar for pressing the cookies
Frosting:
- 6 tablespoons butter salted, softened
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract see note
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-3 tablespoons milk or cream, see note
- peppermints optional, crushed or Andes peppermint crunch baking chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 degrees F for convection bake) and line several half sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl using a handheld electric mixer), add the butter, oil, granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg across the top of the sugars. Mix until well-combined and super creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg, sour cream, molasses, and vanilla and mix until well-combined, 1-2 minutes, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour (see note below) and mix until no dry streaks remain and the mixture is evenly combined; don't overmix.
- Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon size balls (I use a #40 cookie scoop; you can make them smaller or larger) and roll into balls.
- Place the cookies several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly spray the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass with cooking spray and dip into granulated sugar. Press each cookie to about 1/4-inch thick. (Repeat dipping the bottom of the glass into sugar as needed.)
- Bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes until just set. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Err on the side of under baking just slightly.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, in a medium bowl (can use a handheld or stand mixer) combine the butter, sour cream and vanilla. Mix until thick and smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and cream, and mix until well-combined and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add additional cream, if needed, to adjust the consistency of the frosting so it is thick but still soft and spreadable.
- Frost the cooled cookies and decorate with crushed peppermints, if desired.
Notes
- Replace vanilla in frosting with rum extract and milk with eggnog to create an eggnog-flavored frosting that complements the gingerbread spices.
- Adjust the flour amount to 2 3/4 cups for higher elevations or drier climates to avoid overly dense dough.
- This recipe scales well and can be doubled or tripled for larger batches without adjusting baking times significantly.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 cookie | |
| Calories | 294kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 44g | 15% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 125mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 29g | 58% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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