Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

Gingerbread Cookies are a favorite Christmas cookie and this makes the best gingerbread cookie recipe! Fun to make and delicious to eat!

Looking for more delicious holiday treats? I think you’ll love my Chocolate Fudge, Sugar Cookies, and easy Cracker Toffee.

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (1)

What I Love About This Recipe:

  • Soft and Chewy:My gingerbread cookie recipe makes perfectly soft and chewy gingerbread cookies every time! Yet they still hold up well for baking, decorating, and sharing.
  • Easy Recipe:My gingerbread cookie recipe is an easy recipe made of flavorful ingredients.
  • Make Ahead Friendly: The holidays are busy! I love to make the cookie dough or the soft gingerbread cookies and frosting ahead of time. See my tips to make ahead and freeze below.

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2)

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (3)

Gingerbread cookies are made of the following simple ingredients: butter, brown sugar, molasses, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, vanilla extract, egg, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. I also like to include espresso powder to add depth to the flavor of my gingerbread cookies.

Make the Gingerbread:

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (4)
  • Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in molasses and mix until well combined. Mix in the salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and egg until well combined.
  • Whisk together baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Slowly stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.
  • Divide the dough in half and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Roll the Gingerbread dough:

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (5)
  • Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator. Roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Roll the dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
  • You may use a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin.
  • Cut shapes with a cookie cutter and place them onto prepared baking sheets. At this point you can bake immediately, but I also like to pop them back into the freezer for about 15 minutes before baking to prevent them from spreading.
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Bake the Gingerbread Cookies:

  • Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
  • Bake gingerbread cookies until they are lightly browned along the edges, about 10 minutes, or until they feel firm. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating if desired.
  • If baking from frozen, bake for approximately 12 minutes or until done.
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (7)

Decorate the Cookies:

Decorate the cookies with icing and your favorite candies, as desired. Have fun decorating with family and friends. This is a fun activity to do with children throughout the Christmas season! This really is the best gingerbread cookies recipe!

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (8)

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

To make ahead. Make the gingerbread cookie dough, wrap it well with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When ready to roll and bake, remove from the refrigerator and follow the recipe.

To freeze cookie dough.Make the gingerbread cookie dough, wrap it really well with plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.Allow the dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to roll and bake, remove from the refrigerator and follow the recipe.

To freeze unbaked cookies. Place cut-out cookies onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and place into the freezer until the unbaked cookies are firmly frozen, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container layering the unbaked frozen cookies between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake from frozen, add about 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.

To freeze baked cookies. Allow the baked cookies to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container layering between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Here’s my gingerbread cookies recipe. I hope you love them as much as we all do!

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (9)

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Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Gingerbread Cookies are a favorite Christmas cookie and this makes the best gingerbread cookie recipe! Fun to make and delicious to eat!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 36

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (213 g) brown sugar, packed, (light or dark)
  • 3/4 cup (255 g) molasses
  • 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons (5.2 g) ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons (3.6 g) ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon (0.57 g) espresso powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.35 g) vanilla extract
  • 1 large (50 g) egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
  • 3 1/2 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour
  • confectioners’ sugar, optional

Instructions

Make the Gingerbread:

  • Cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in molasses and mix until well-combined. Mix in the salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, espresso powder, vanilla and the egg until well-combined.

  • Whisk together baking powder and baking soda into the flour and then slowly stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.

  • Divide the dough in half, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour up to overnight.

Roll the Dough:

  • Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

  • Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator. Roll the dough to 1/2-inch thickness.

    Note: You can use dust the worksurface and rolling pin with confectioner's sugar under to keep the dough from sticking.

Cut out the Gingerbread Cookies:

  • Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake and Decorate the Gingerbread Cookies:

  • Bake gingerbread cookies until they are lightly browned along the edges, about 12 minutes, or until they feel firm. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating, if desired.

Notes

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

To make ahead. Make the gingerbread cookie dough, wrap it well with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When ready to roll and bake, remove from the refrigerator and follow the recipe.

To freeze cookie dough.Make the gingerbread cookie dough, wrap it really well with plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.Allow the dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to roll and bake, remove from the refrigerator and follow the recipe.

To freeze unbaked cookies. Place cut-out cookies onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and place into the freezer until the unbaked cookies are firmly frozen, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container layering the unbaked frozen cookies between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake from frozen, add about 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.

To freeze baked cookies. Allow the baked cookies to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container layering between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 138mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Happy Baking!
Robyn xo

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (10)

Categorized as:All Recipes, By Cooking Style, Christmas Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Cooking, Dessert Recipes, Essentials, Freezer Friendly Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Make-ahead Recipes, Recipes

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? ›

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

What is the difference between gingerbread and ginger cookies? ›

While molasses cookies and gingersnaps are rolled into dough balls and then baked, gingerbread is rolled flat then use cookie cutters to cut your desired shape. This Gingerbread Cookie recipe is foolproof and SO easy to make.

What is the best gingerbread in the world? ›

Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. The World's Best Gingerbread. Victorian cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854 in the English Lake District village from where it gets its name.

Can I use golden syrup instead of molasses? ›

Golden syrup, also known as "light treacle," is made from the evaporation of sugarcane, which creates a light, golden syrup very reminiscent of honey. Lyle's is a popular brand of golden syrup. Try using 1 cup golden syrup for every 1 cup molasses in a recipe.

Can you use maple syrup instead of molasses in gingerbread cookies? ›

Are there any substitutes for molasses? It won't taste exactly the same, but maple syrup can work in a pinch.

What is the most popular cookie in the US? ›

Nearly 93% of all American households serve and enjoy cookies as treats or after meals. However, it's the chocolate chip cookie that's the most popular in the U.S. and around the world.

Why don't my ginger cookies crackle on the top? ›

Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated) Not creaming the fat long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work)

What is gingerbread called in England? ›

In Medieval England gingerbread meant preserved ginger. The hard cookies were a staple at Medieval fairs in England and on the continent. These became known as “gingerbread fairs” and the cookies called “fairings”.

What town is famous for gingerbread? ›

One hundred years later, the town of Market Drayton in Shropshire became known for its gingerbread, as is displayed on their town's welcome sign, stating that it is the "home of gingerbread".

What city is known for gingerbread? ›

TORUN, Poland — This medieval city on the banks of the Vistula River is known for two things: astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus and gingerbread cookies.

Which country eats the most gingerbread? ›

In 2018, the highest levels of gingerbread per capita consumption was registered in the Netherlands (2,361 kg per 1000 persons), followed by Germany (886 kg per 1000 persons), Belgium (799 kg per 1000 persons) and Spain (748 kg per 1000 persons), while the world average per capita consumption of gingerbread was ...

What are gingerbread men called now? ›

Some bakeries are now calling gingerbread men by the gender neutral term “gingerbread people.” Do you agree with the change? - Quora. Wow. I thought the gingerbread men in dresses were just cross-dressers.

What makes gingerbread taste like gingerbread? ›

Spice Combinations

Some other common spices used in gingerbread recipes are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and allspice. Cinnamon is available in ground form and in a stick. For baking, you should use ground cinnamon. Nutmeg adds a nutty, sweet spiciness to gingerbread.

What country did gingerbread come from? ›

Food historians trace the origins of gingerbread back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it for ceremonial purposes. The ancient Greeks followed suit with the first known recipe for gingerbread around 2400 B.C.

Are gingerbread cookies supposed to be crunchy? ›

First, the texture of the cookie needs to be fairly crispy along the outside with a semi-soft, cake-like inside, and like all "perfect" cut-out cookies, they definitely need to keep their shape when baked. Secondly, they must taste sweet but notably spicy, and have a rich molasses flavour.

Why did my gingerbread cookies come out hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

How can you tell when gingerbread cookies are done? ›

Gingerbread Cookies are done when they are set and begin to brown slightly at the edges. They will harden further as they cool, so avoid overbaking so you don't end up with hard, crunchy gingerbread! Underbake slightly to achieve soft, slightly chewy gingerbread cookies.

Should cookies be hard or soft? ›

You can take a bite or break off a piece. Either way, when you taste it, you'll know for certain if it's done. A cookie that's fully done shouldn't be doughy, nor should it be overly crunchy (unless you're making a really crunchy type of cookie). It should be soft, crumbly, and perfect when freshly baked.

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