These classic gingerbread cookies are a holiday staple. The dough is warmly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, creating a firm but tender cookie that holds its shape well. They are just as fun to make as they are to eat.
This recipe requires about 20 minutes of active time, but the dough needs to chill for at least four hours, so plan ahead. It’s a great project for a weekend afternoon, filling your home with the scent of holiday spices.
Why is Gingerbread Cookies a Must-Try?
Chilling the dough is essential. It solidifies the butter, which means the cookies will not spread out too much in the oven, keeping their nice cut-out shapes.
Using softened butter allows it to cream properly with the sugar. This incorporates air into the dough, which contributes to a lighter texture in the finished cookies.
Mixing the flour in gently and only until combined prevents over-developing the gluten. This ensures your cookies are tender, not tough.
Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients
• Molasses: Use standard unsulphured molasses for a classic flavor. Blackstrap molasses is much stronger and can be bitter, so it is not recommended for this recipe.
• Spices: Freshly ground spices have the most flavor. Check the expiration dates on your ground ginger and cinnamon for best results.
• Brown Sugar: Either light or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses and will result in a slightly darker cookie with a deeper flavor.
• Butter: This recipe calls for unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter, you can use it and reduce the added salt to 1/8 teaspoon.
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: Make and Mix the Dough
Start by whisking your dry ingredients—flour, spices, baking soda, and salt—in one bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla, then gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet until a cohesive dough forms.
Step 2: Chill the Dough
This step is key for cookies that hold their shape. Divide the dough into two flat disks, wrap them securely in plastic, and let them chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours. You can also leave it overnight.
Step 3: Roll, Cut, and Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Working with one disk at a time on a floured surface, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then let them cool before decorating.
Expert Tips for Gingerbread Cookies
Chilling the dough is a required step. It prevents the cookies from spreading during baking and makes the dough much easier to handle.
For crispier cookies, bake for an extra minute or two. For softer cookies, bake on the lower end of the time range.
The dough contains raw egg. Avoid tasting the raw dough. The cookies are safe to eat once fully baked.
If your dough becomes too soft while rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to firm up again.
What to Serve with Gingerbread Cookies?
These cookies are wonderful on their own or with a glass of cold milk. They are also a great base for decorating with royal icing or a simple glaze.
How to Store and Freeze Gingerbread Cookies
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the raw dough disks for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and baking.
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before you plan to bake.
Why did my cookies spread so much?
The most common reason is that the dough was not chilled long enough. Make sure to chill it for at least 4 hours. Another reason could be that your butter was too soft or melted, rather than just softened.
Can I use blackstrap molasses?
It is not recommended. Blackstrap molasses has a very strong, somewhat bitter flavor that can overpower the other spices in the cookies. Standard unsulphured molasses provides the right balance of sweetness and flavor.
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour 360 g
- 2 teaspoons Ground ginger 4 g
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon 2 g
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda 5 g
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg 0.5 g
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt 1.5 g
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter softened, 170 g
- 3/4 cup Packed brown sugar 165 g
- 1/2 cup Unsulphured molasses 160 g
- 1 Large egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract 5 ml
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Set this aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla to the butter mixture. Beat again until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until a uniform dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half. Form each half into a flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are firm and just beginning to darken. The centers will still be slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Notes
