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Gingerbread Caramel Streusel Cookie
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Gingerbread Caramel Streusel Cookie

My Gingerbread Caramel Streusel Cookie is thick, soft, and loaded with cream cheese frosting, buttery streusel, and homemade caramel drizzle.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cookies, caramel, gingerbread, christmas
Servings 7 cookies
Author Molly Murphy

Ingredients

Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled

For The Cookie Dough

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 3 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Salted Caramel Sauce Instructions

  • In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir gently to moisten the sugar, then stop stirring completely.
    1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • Set over medium heat and cook undisturbed for 5–10 minutes, until the syrup turns a rich amber color. It can happen fast, so keep an eye out on it. Meanwhile, warm the heavy cream in the microwave for 1 minute.
    ¾ cup heavy cream
  • Once the caramel is amber (like honey or copper), remove from heat. Carefully pour in the warm cream while whisking — it will bubble up quickly.
    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Whisk until smooth, then stir in the vanilla and salt. If needed, return to low heat briefly to smooth everything out.
  • Let cool slightly, then transfer to a heat-safe jar. The caramel will thicken as it cools. Refrigerate for up to a week and warm before using.

Cinnamon Streusel Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
    1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pour in the cooled melted butter and mix with a fork or spatula until clumps form. You want crumbly clusters, not dough. If it looks too sandy, squeeze some together with your hands.
    ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • Spread evenly on the prepared pan and bake for 8–10 minutes, until golden.
  • Let cool completely, then break into large pieces. Set aside

For The Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a stand size mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.
    1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, ½ cup light brown sugar packed, ½ cup granulated sugar
  • With a rubber spatula scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Add in the egg and egg yolk and continued to beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
    1 large egg room temperature, 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • Add the molasses and vanilla extract, mix on low just until incorporated
    2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup molasses
  • Add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda cinnamon, and ginger. Mix on the lowest speed just until there are no more flour streaks. Try not to over mix!
    3 ⅓ cup all purpose flour, 1 ½ tablespoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Portion out the dough to 5.5 ounces and place four dough balls on each sheet pan (you should have 4 on one sheet pan and 3 on the other!)
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes. Until the cookies come out puffed and the edges are slightly browned. Let them cool for about 1 minute, and take the bottom of a flat surface spatula, or a cup and smoosh down the cookie so it has a flat surface. The cookie should be about little less than half inch thick.
  • LEt the cookies cool while you make the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then beat for 2 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.
    4 oz cream cheese softened, ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar, then vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until combined.
ground cinnamon,Pinch of salt
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, Pinch of salt
  • Increase speed to medium-high and beat 2–3 more minutes until light and fluffy. If too soft to pipe, chill for 10–15 minutes.

Assembly

  • Make sure cookies are completely cool before decorating.
  • Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 8B (or another small star tip) with the cream cheese frosting. Pipe a tight swirl starting in the center of each cookie and working outward.
  • Fill a second piping bag or zip-top bag with salted caramel, snip the tip, and drizzle across the frosting.
  • Press streusel pieces gently into the frosting, using a mix of big and small chunks for texture.
  • Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.