Gingerbread cookies are the taste of the holidays: warm ginger, cinnamon and cloves, deep molasses sweetness, and a soft, chewy bite. This recipe makes sturdy cut-out cookies that hold their shape, but stay tender instead of hard. These gingerbread cookies are easy enough for kids to help with, and they are ideal for cookie swaps, holiday gift tins and decorating parties. The dough chills ahead, rolls out smoothly and bakes in under 10 minutes.
- Time: 20 minutes of prep, at least 2 hours to chill the dough, then 8 to 10 minutes of baking.
- Makes: about 24 cookies, depending on the cutter size.
- Key ingredients: flour, butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
- Make ahead: the dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and baked gingerbread cookies freeze well.
- Best tip: pull the cookies from the oven while the centers still look slightly soft, because they firm up as they cool.
What Makes the Best Gingerbread Cookies?
The best gingerbread cookies balance spice, sweetness and texture. Molasses brings the classic dark, slightly bittersweet flavor, brown sugar keeps the cookies moist and chewy, and a generous mix of ginger, cinnamon and cloves delivers the holiday aroma. Chilling the dough matters just as much as the ingredients. Cold dough rolls out cleanly and holds sharp edges in the oven, so your gingerbread cookies keep their shapes.
Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Cookies
- Soft and chewy. The centers stay tender, and the edges are just crisp enough.
- Easy to roll. The dough is not sticky once chilled.
- Holds its shape. Your gingerbread men, stars and trees will not spread into blobs.
- Make ahead friendly. Chill the dough for a few days, or freeze the baked cookies.
- Fun to decorate. A simple powdered sugar icing sets quickly and looks sweet.
Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Simple Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredient Notes
- Molasses: Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap, which is too bitter for gingerbread cookies.
- Spices: Fresh spices taste stronger. If your ground ginger has been in the cabinet for years, replace it.
- Butter: Soft butter should dent easily when pressed but not look greasy.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies (Step by Step)
1. Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves together in a medium bowl.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar
Beat the butter and brown sugar together with a mixer for about 2 minutes, until creamy. Beat in the egg, molasses and vanilla until combined.
3. Make the Dough
Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing on low just until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft.
4. Chill the Dough
Divide the dough into two flat discs, wrap them and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. The FDA says to refrigerate cookie dough according to the package or recipe directions and to keep your refrigerator at 40°F.
5. Roll and Cut
Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll one disc between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with floured cutters and move them to the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Re-roll the scraps once.
6. Bake the Gingerbread Cookies
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers are still slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Ice and Decorate
Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Use 2 tablespoons of milk for a thicker icing that pipes lines, and add more for a thinner icing that spreads. Decorate once the gingerbread cookies are fully cool.
Tips for the Best Gingerbread Cookies
- Do not skip the chill. Warm dough sticks to the counter and spreads in the oven.
- Roll evenly. Same-thickness cookies bake at the same speed.
- Use parchment. Rolling between parchment keeps you from adding too much extra flour, which can make gingerbread cookies dry.
- Watch the clock. The cookies bake fast, so check them at 8 minutes.
- Cool completely before icing. Warm cookies melt the icing.
- Re-chill if needed. If the dough softens while you work, put it back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Gingerbread Cookies Variations
- Thicker, softer gingerbread cookies. Roll the dough 3/8 inch thick and bake 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Gingerbread men. Use a classic cutter and decorate with icing for the faces and buttons.
- Crispy gingerbread. Roll the dough 1/8 inch thick and bake until the edges are firm.
- Orange zest. Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the dough.
- Gingerbread ornaments. Poke a hole in each cookie before baking if you want to hang them for decoration. These are best for display.
What to Serve With Gingerbread Cookies
Serve gingerbread cookies with hot cocoa made from this homemade hot cocoa mix, a mug of spiced apple cider or a cup of coffee. Add them to a holiday cookie tray with soft and chewy sugar cookies, peppermint snowball cookies and ginger molasses sandwich cookies with eggnog frosting. If you love the flavor in other forms, try the gingerbread cheesecake or the gingerbread pancakes for a holiday breakfast.
How to Store and Freeze Gingerbread Cookies
- Room temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Put parchment between the layers of iced cookies.
- Soft cookies: Add a slice of bread to the container. It helps keep the gingerbread cookies soft.
- Freezer (baked): Freeze baked, un-iced cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then ice.
- Freezer (dough): Wrap the dough discs tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before rolling.
Do not taste the raw dough. The FDA says never to eat or taste raw flour, dough or batter, because raw flour and raw eggs can carry harmful bacteria, and that cooking is the only way to be sure foods made with flour and raw eggs are safe. Wash hands, bowls and counters with warm, soapy water after handling raw dough (FDA).
Frequently Asked Questions About Gingerbread Cookies
Why are my gingerbread cookies hard?
Gingerbread cookies turn hard when they are rolled too thin, baked too long, or made with too much flour. Roll to 1/4 inch, measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it, and take the cookies out while the centers still look slightly soft.
Do I have to chill gingerbread cookie dough?
Yes. Chilling firms up the butter, which keeps the dough from spreading and makes it easy to roll. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. If it softens while you cut shapes, put it back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Can I make gingerbread cookies without molasses?
You can use dark corn syrup, maple syrup or honey, but the flavor will be milder and the color lighter. Molasses gives gingerbread cookies their classic deep, slightly bittersweet taste. For the best results, use regular unsulphured molasses rather than blackstrap molasses.
How thick should I roll gingerbread cookie dough?
Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch for soft, chewy gingerbread cookies. Roll thinner, around 1/8 inch, for crisp cookies, or thicker, around 3/8 inch, for very soft ones. Thicker cookies need 1 to 2 extra minutes in the oven, so keep an eye on them.
How long do gingerbread cookies last?
Un-iced gingerbread cookies keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature. Baked, un-iced cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Iced cookies should dry completely before they are stacked, with parchment between the layers so the decoration stays neat.
Final Thoughts
Gingerbread cookies are a holiday tradition for good reason. Chill the dough, roll it evenly and pull the cookies out while they are still a little soft. Then decorate them with family and friends, and share a plate with the neighbors. For more cookies to bake this season, try chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies next.
Sources and further reading
Print
Gingerbread Cookies
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
Soft, chewy gingerbread cookies with ginger, cinnamon, cloves and molasses. The dough chills ahead, rolls out easily and keeps its shape for cutting and decorating. Makes about 24 cookies, plus 2 hours to chill the dough.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the simple icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar with a mixer for about 2 minutes, until creamy. Beat in the egg, molasses and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing on low just until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft.
- Divide the dough into two flat discs, wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll one disc between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut out shapes with floured cutters and place them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps once.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers are still slightly soft. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (2 tablespoons of milk for piping, more for spreading). Decorate once the cookies are completely cool.
Notes
- Do not taste the raw dough: it contains raw flour and a raw egg (FDA advice).
- Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap.
- Storage: airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Freeze baked, un-iced cookies up to 3 months.
- Dough can be frozen in wrapped discs up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Thicker, softer cookies: roll 3/8 inch thick and bake 1 to 2 minutes longer. Crisp cookies: roll 1/8 inch thick.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie