This gingerbread cookies recipe makes the kind of cookies that fill the whole house with the smell of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses. They are soft in the middle, lightly crisp at the edges, and sturdy enough to cut into shapes and decorate. Whether you make gingerbread men, stars, or simple rounds, these are the cookies Christmas baking is all about.
I have been making this gingerbread cookies recipe since I was old enough to hold a rolling pin. My family always rolled the dough a little thick, because thick cookies stay soft, and we decorated them badly and proudly. That is still how I make them, and the smell alone takes me straight back to those Decembers.
Quick facts: This gingerbread cookies recipe takes 25 minutes of prep, 2 hours of chilling, and 10 minutes of baking, and makes about 24 cookies.
Planning more holiday baking? My dutch apple pie recipe is our other Christmas dessert. Save these cookies to your Christmas Cookies board on Pinterest.
Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- Easy to handle. The dough does not spread into blobs.
- Holds its shape. Your gingerbread men actually look like gingerbread men.
- Perfectly spiced. Not too sharp, so kids and adults both like them.
- Keeps well. Great for gifting and cookie boxes.
- Make ahead friendly. The dough chills for days and freezes well.
Ingredients for Gingerbread Cookies
For the cookies:
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the simple icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredient Notes
- Molasses: Use regular (unsulphured) molasses. Blackstrap is much stronger and more bitter.
- Spices: Fresh spices make a big difference. If your ginger has been in the pantry for years, buy a new jar.
- Flour: Spoon it into the cup and level it off. Too much flour makes dry, hard cookies.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
This gingerbread cookies recipe is simple, but chilling the dough is the step that makes the cookies hold their shape, so do not skip it.
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. The spices should be evenly spread so no cookie tastes stronger than the next.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar
Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture will look dark and glossy.
Step 3: Make and chill the dough
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms. Divide it in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 4: Roll and cut
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll one disc on a floured surface to ¼ inch thick. Cut into shapes and place them 1 inch apart on lined baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps once. If the dough feels sticky, work in 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour.
Step 5: Bake and cool
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers still look soft. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Decorate only once fully cool.
Step 6: Ice the cookies
Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into a thick icing, pipe or spread it onto the cooled cookies, and add sprinkles before it sets.
Why This Recipe Works
Molasses is the backbone of this gingerbread cookies recipe. It gives the deep color, the warm flavor, and the chew that makes these cookies different from plain sugar cookies. The chill time firms the butter, so the cookies keep sharp edges in the oven instead of spreading. Rolling to ¼ inch keeps them soft inside while the edges crisp just enough.
Tips for the Best Gingerbread Cookies
- Do not skip the chill, or your shapes will spread. If the dough gets too soft while rolling, slide it back into the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Flour your cutter lightly between cuts so shapes release cleanly.
- Pull the cookies out while the centers still look a little soft, because they firm up as they cool.
- Store them with a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft for days.
- Do not taste the raw dough. The FDA says never to eat or taste raw flour, dough, or batter, because cooking is the only way to be sure foods made with flour and raw eggs are safe. Wash your hands and tools after handling it.
Variations
Gingerbread cookie sandwiches
Spread cream cheese frosting between two cookies. It turns a simple cookie into a bakery-style treat.
Chocolate dipped gingerbread
Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate and add sprinkles before it sets. Kids love these in cookie boxes.
Spicier gingerbread
Add an extra teaspoon of ginger and a pinch of black pepper. It gives the cookies a warm kick that adults really like.
What to Serve With Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread cookies are lovely with hot chocolate, coffee, or a glass of cold milk. They also look great on a holiday cookie tray next to my chocolate peppermint cookies recipe and my peanut butter fudge recipe. For the rest of the dessert table, my dutch apple pie recipe and my pumpkin bars recipe are holiday bakes everyone asks for, and these cookies sit happily next to my easy sweet potato casserole recipe on a holiday table.
How to Store Gingerbread Cookies
Store iced cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, and undecorated cookies for up to 2 weeks. Undecorated cookies freeze well for up to 3 months: freeze them flat in a single layer, then stack with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature and decorate fresh. You can also freeze the dough discs, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
Final Thoughts
This gingerbread cookies recipe is the one I come back to every single December. It is simple, forgiving, and it makes the house smell like Christmas. Roll them thick, decorate them messily, and enjoy every single one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this gingerbread cookies recipe ahead of time?
Yes. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Why did my cookies spread?
The dough was probably too warm, or the butter was melted instead of softened. Chill the dough well and use butter that holds its shape when pressed.
Can I use blackstrap molasses?
Regular molasses works best here. Blackstrap is much stronger and more bitter, and it can overpower the spices.
How do I keep gingerbread cookies soft?
Store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The bread dries out instead of the cookies, and they stay soft for days.
Why is my gingerbread dough sticky?
Molasses makes the dough soft. Chill it for the full 2 hours and roll it between two sheets of parchment. If it is still sticky, work in 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour.
Why are my gingerbread cookies hard?
Usually too much flour was used, or they were overbaked. Spoon and level the flour, roll to ¼ inch, and take them out while the centers still look soft.
How thick should I roll the dough?
For soft cookies, roll to ¼ inch. For crisp cookies and gingerbread houses, roll thinner, about ⅛ inch, and bake 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Can I freeze decorated gingerbread cookies?
It is better to freeze them undecorated, because icing can turn sticky when thawed. Freeze the baked cookies, thaw, and decorate fresh.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. The spices should be evenly spread so no cookie tastes stronger than the next.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture will look dark and glossy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms. Divide it in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll one disc on a floured surface to ¼ inch thick. Cut into shapes and place them 1 inch apart on lined baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps once. If the dough feels sticky, work in 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers still look soft. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Decorate only once fully cool.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into a thick icing, pipe or spread it onto the cooled cookies, and add sprinkles before it sets.
Notes
Roll to ¼ inch for soft cookies.
Do not eat the raw dough.
Iced cookies keep 5 to 7 days; dough freezes 3 months.
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