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Looking for the perfect holiday treat? These classic gingerbread cookies are easy to make, filling your home with festive spice. These soft, spiced cookies are sure to become a favorite for kids and adults alike, perfect for decorating and sharing!
The Best Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread cookies are a classic holiday treat that everyone loves! With the perfect mix of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, they fill your home with an amazing aroma that really gets you in the festive spirit. Whether you’re baking with the kids or getting ready for a holiday party, this easy and foolproof gingerbread cookies recipe is just great for beginners. Plus, making gingerbread man cookies adds a fun twist to the whole experience!
These gingerbread cookies have a rich flavor thanks to molasses and dark brown sugar, baking up crisp on the outside while staying slightly chewy inside. And the best part? You can get super creative with festive shapes and decorate your gingerbread cookies with royal icing, making them as pretty as they are tasty. These delicious cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Delicious flavor. Thanks to the rich flavors from molasses and dark brown sugar, these gingerbread cookies hit the perfect sweet-and-spicy balance that’s totally satisfying.
- Chewy texture. The gingerbread cookies have a crisp outside and a chewy inside, giving you a fun texture with every bite.
- Beginner-friendly. This gingerbread cookies recipe is super easy and foolproof, making it perfect for beginner bakers who want to enjoy the process without any stress.
- Consistent results. Even if you’re a beginner, these cookies always come out looking and tasting amazing!
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe Ingredients
- Baking soda – helping the cookies rise and become light and fluffy.
- Flour – gives the cookies structure.
- Ground ginger – brings that classic warm and spicy flavor that gingerbread lovers crave.
- Ground cinnamon – adds a sweet, cozy flavor that pairs perfectly with the other spices.
- Unsalted butter – gives the cookies richness and moisture, making them nice and tender.
- Ground nutmeg – adds a warm, slightly nutty taste that really rounds out the flavor.
- Black pepper and salt – balance out the sweetness and boost all those yummy spice flavors.
- Ground cloves – brings a warm, aromatic kick that complements the other spices beautifully.
- Egg – helps bind everything together and gives the cookies their shape as they bake.
- Brown sugar – adds sweetness and that rich, caramel-like flavor while keeping the cookies nice and moist.
- Molasses – gives the cookies a deep, rich flavor and helps them stay chewy.
- Lemon juice – a little acidity to balance the sweetness and brighten up all the flavors.
- Confectioner’s sugar – perfect for whipping up royal icing to decorate the gingerbread man cookies and add a touch of sweetness.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: Prepare the royal icing by combining the ingredients until smooth. Add water to thin it out or more sugar to thicken. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the cookie dough by whisking together the flour, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Next, mix in the eggs and molasses.
Step 4: Gradually add the flour mixture and combine on low speed until a dough forms. Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Place one-third of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/8 inch (⅓ oz) thick, then use a lightly floured cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Re-form any leftover dough into a ball and roll it out again until you’ve used up all the dough. If your cookies are getting warm, pop them back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill. Bake until crisp and just set, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, decorate with royal icing.
Helpful Tips For Home Bakers
- Make sure to chill your dough for at least an hour before rolling it out. This helps the cookies keep their shape and makes them easier to handle.
- Lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin to stop the dough from sticking while you roll it out.
- Ovens can be tricky, so check your cookies a minute or two before the recommended baking time. They should be crisp around the edges and just set in the middle.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes after baking before moving them to a wire rack. This helps them firm up and reduces the chance of breakage.
Frequently Asked Questions
These cookies become hard if you overbake them or if the dough is too dry. To keep them soft, make sure to use enough molasses and butter, roll the dough thicker, and take them out of the oven as soon as they’re just set.
Absolutely! You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container. Thaw it in the fridge before rolling it out.
Your gingerbread cookies are done when the edges are slightly crisp, and the center is set but still soft. If you gently press the top, it should spring back a bit.
When stored in an airtight container, gingerbread man cookies can last for about two weeks at room temperature.
This recipe has 189 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Gingerbread Cookies
This dish is best served as dessert. For easy holiday desserts, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, softened
- 3/4 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup molasses
(Royal Icing)
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar, powdered sugar
Instructions
For the royal icing
- Combine the ingredients until smooth. Add water to thin it out or more sugar to thicken. Set aside.
For the Dough
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Next, mix in the eggs and molasses.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and combine on low speed until a dough forms. Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Place one-third of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/8 inch (⅓ oz) thick, then use a lightly floured cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Re-form any leftover dough into a ball and roll it out again until you’ve used up all the dough. If your cookies are getting warm, pop them back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill. Bake until crisp and just set, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, decorate with royal icing.
Notes
- Make sure to chill your dough for at least an hour before rolling it out. This helps the cookies keep their shape and makes them easier to handle.
- Lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin to stop the dough from sticking while you roll it out.
- Ovens can be tricky, so check your cookies a minute or two before the recommended baking time. They should be crisp around the edges and just set in the middle.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes after baking before moving them to a wire rack. This helps them firm up and reduces the chance of breakage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very good!
How long can I store these cookies with icing? Will this cookies last for 4 weeks?
Not four weeks, perhaps 2 weeks.
Hi, RasaMalaysia. I followed the recipe, but the texture was crumbly. How do I fix it? Add more liquid? Like milk? Thank you.
Hello. These cookies looks delicious. But I can’t seem to find Mollasses in the supermarket near me. Can I replace it with raw Brown sugar? Or palm sugar?
Thank you.
I think you can use raw brown sugar.