In Good FlavorGingerbread Lace Cookies will be a hit at any dessert table or cookie swap this holiday season. They are thin and crispy, with the taste of caramel, cinnamon, and other warm spices. Chopped pecans provide a delectable nutty crunch and make these cookies absolutely irresistible!
Are you slowly coming out of the Thanksgiving food comma as I am? Not only did I gorge on turkey dinner and the fixings on Thanksgiving day, but I also ate out on Friday. I always tell myself to choose something light on the menu, but that rarely happens, and it didn’t this time. The indulgence continued over the weekend as I celebrated a birthday. All that eating and excess left me feeling very sluggish.
I managed to find the motivation to perfect this cookie recipe, though. After all, it is cookie swap season, and I’m so excited to share these delicate gingerbread cookies with you! I guarantee these lacy, light, and crispy beauties will be a hit at any cookie swap. And they are easy to make too!
No mixer or mixing bowl is needed! Just cook up the ingredients in a small saucepan, drop them by a teaspoonful on a lined baking sheet, and bake. You will need to bake in small batches, but they take literally six minutes per batch.
If you need a Thanksgiving dessert or Christmas cookie idea, these lace cookies couldn’t be more perfect. They have the taste and smell of the season—ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and chopped pecans. Once you try these, you will want to make them every year!
View the how-to video or save for later with this Pinterest Pin.
Recommended supplies:
- Baking sheet—this tapered edge design allows the baked goods to slide off effortlessly.
- Non-stick silicone mat—prevents the cookies from sticking. I highly recommend using parchment paper.
- 1-quart saucepan for cooking the batter in.
- Silicone spatula for stirring the batter.
- Spatula for transferring the cookies to a cooling rack
- Metal cooling rack to cool the cookies on.
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Gingerbread Lace Cookies
Description
Gingerbread Lace Cookies will be a hit at any dessert table or cookie swap this holiday season. They are thin and crispy, with the taste of caramel, cinnamon, and other warm spices. Chopped pecans provide a delectable nutty crunch and make these cookies absolutely irresistible!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add sugar. Cook until dissolved, stirring frequently. Stir in cream and molasses. Add flour and spices, whisking until smooth. Allow to come to a gentle boil for 1 to 2 minutes, reducing heat if needed. Reduce heat to low. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Keep on the low setting as you continue to work. (See note below.)
- Drop the cookie mixture, a measured teaspoonful at a time, onto the lined baking sheet. Allow at least a 2 to 3-inch space in between. The mixture will bubble and expand as it bakes. Bake until the cookie turns light brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes to firm up. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. The cookies will become firm and crispy as they cool, so it’s best to wait 15 to 20 minutes before eating.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate to maintain crispiness. If kept at room temperature, refrigerate for an hour to restore some crispiness before eating.
- Makes about 36 (2.5 inch) cookies.
Note:
- While sitting warm on the stovetop, the batter might thicken (or turn dry and crumbly) and become difficult to spoon. To fix this, turn up the heat to medium-low and add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon heavy cream at a time to smooth out the batter to its original consistency. Be careful not to add too much cream. Once the proper consistency is restored, reduce the heat to warm.
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Someone made this type of cookie on Great British Baking Show and shaped it like a face! I've been wanting to look up a recipe ever since–thanks for posting!
It must have looked pretty cool! You can actually shape lace cookies too. I've wrapped them in a cone shape mold before. I prefer them flat as it's so much easier and just as tasty. I'm glad I could be of help, Inger. I hope you'll get a chance to try these cookie sout!
I tell myself the same thing every time we go out eating, choose something light, you love salads and soups, so why not? But it never works… I mean, I can make good salads and soups at home, but the stuff we eat in restaurants is not exactly what I would often cook at home… The cookies looks really good, I have never had this type of cookie, but somehow I can imagine how they taste like. And especially their consistency. Delicious!
Ha ha! Sounds like we are in the same boat, Adina! Best intentions always loses when it comes to dining out. The menus with drool worthy pictures and enticing descriptions get me every time. I love the lightness and crunch of lace cookies. They really are in a class of their own.
These are gorgeous, Thao! I also love a crispy cookie, especially when I eat it with coffee!! These are a must-include on a Christmas cookie tray!
Thank you, Katherine!! I love lace cookies in general. They are so easy to make and go good!
I have made them and they were delicious. Is there a way to triple the recipe? It is complicated trying to multiply by 3.
I wonder if they can be formed into a cone and filled with a praline or whisky Carmel cream ? Would they get wet and not hold their shape
Yes, they can be formed into a cone. You’ll have to work pretty and get them shaped while hot and pliable. I would wait until the last minute to fill them to prevent them from getting soggy. The cream filling sounds amazing!!
This didn’t turn out at all!! Very disappointing. My husband and I double checked the instructions and I had followed them correctly.
I so sorry it didn’t work out for you! Could you tell me what happened? Maybe I can help figure out why it didn’t work.
It did not turn out right for me, either. The dough was very dry and crumbly, and the cookies never spread.
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out well for you! It’s so discouraging when a recipe doesn’t work out. Did you try adding more cream? It thins out the dough and will allow the cookies to spread. I hope you’ll give it another try. It’s a really delicious cookie.
Hi! I was so excited to try this recipe, but it didn’t turn out. I tried it twice and had the same results each time: I melted the butter over medium-low heat, added the sugar, but each time, the sugar didn’t really dissolve and there was suddenly an oil slick from the butter. I’ve made so many recipes during my life that began by melting butter and sugar together and cannot remember this ever happening before? I used Kerrygold butter and some organic cane sugar each time. Is there any chance there’s a typo? I used 4 tablespoons (i.e. half a stick) of butter and 6 tablespoons of sugar. I just can’t figure out what went wrong. Any ideas? Thank you!
Hi Wendy. Thank you for trying it twice! I’m sorry the butter and sugar didn’t come together for you! After reading your message, I went straight to my kitchen to melt butter and sugar because I hadn’t made these cookies in a while. I’m happy to say the sugar and butter combined nicely. The quantities in the recipe are correct.
I don’t know exactly why yours did not combine, and I can only offer a couple of advice:
Try cooking it on medium. Too much heat or too long of heating time can cause the fat to separate. Medium-low might have been a little too low. Be sure to whisk constantly once the sugar is added.
I have had people try this recipe with great success. I wish yours did too. I can understand if you are discouraged from trying it again, but I appreciate the effort!