Frosted Spice Cookies

December. Pralines with Colette. Cookies with all three. The tree, the lights, the rhythm that repeats. But this year something extra: Rémy asked to help with the pralines. Not the cookies — the pralines. The candy that requires precision, timing, and the willingness to stir molten sugar at 236 degrees. He's seven. The answer should be no. The answer was yes, with conditions: I hold the pot, he stirs with my guidance, and Danielle stands nearby with a first aid kit and the phone number for the burn unit.

He stirred. He stirred with the focus of a boy who has been asking to cook since he was four, who made his first roux this summer, who reads recipes from index cards at the dinner table. He stirred until the candy hit soft ball stage, and we dropped it onto wax paper together, and the pralines set, and they were perfect. His first pralines. His first candy. Another link in the chain, another notch on the wooden spoon. Colette watched and said, "Not bad, little brother." High praise from the praline expert. Rémy glowed. The kitchen smelled like sugar and butter and the future.

The pralines were Rémy’s triumph this year, but cookies have always been the backbone of our December kitchen — the thing we do with all three kids, the recipe that doesn’t demand a candy thermometer or a steady hand at 236 degrees, just flour and butter and a willingness to get frosting everywhere. These Frosted Spice Cookies are what we turn to when the intensity of candy-making gives way to something a little more forgiving and a lot more fun. They smell like the holiday season, they frost beautifully with small hands helping, and every single batch disappears before the tin is even full.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 11 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons molasses
For the frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3–4 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly combined. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
Portion and bake. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass or your palm. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are just set. The centers will look slightly underdone — that’s correct.
Cool completely. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They must be fully cool before frosting.
Make the frosting. Beat the softened butter with a mixer until smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, beating until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
Frost and finish. Spread a generous layer of frosting on each cooled cookie. Top with a light dusting of cinnamon or decorating sugar if desired. Allow the frosting to set for 15 minutes before stacking or storing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Frosted Spice Cookies — The Ones We Make Together Every December