Simple Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

No cookie captures the essence of the holiday season quite like gingerbread cookies. With its warm spices, rich molasses flavor, and festive shapes, it’s a treat that brings joy to both bakers and those lucky enough to enjoy them. This gingerbread cookie recipe is perfect for creating beautifully decorated cookies or soft, chewy snacks to pair with a cozy cup of cocoa.

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About This Recipe

Gingerbread cookies are a holiday classic, and this recipe is as versatile as it is delicious. The dough comes together effortlessly with a combination of pantry staples like flour, butter, and sugar, enhanced by molasses and a medley of warm spices. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg create the signature flavor that makes gingerbread so irresistible.

Whether you prefer your cookies soft and chewy or slightly crisp, you can adjust the baking time to achieve your desired texture. Plus, the dough is sturdy enough for cutting out fun shapes, making it perfect for everything from festive trees and stars to playful gingerbread people.

If chewy cookies are your thing, then you have to try my Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies! They have the texture of a chocolate chip cookie and the taste and flavors of gingerbread cookies!

One of the best things about gingerbread cookies is how creative you can get with them. Once baked, the fun begins with decorating! Royal icing ( not my recipe) is a classic choice for creating intricate patterns, while colorful sprinkles and candies can add a playful touch. You could also make a simple powdered sugar and milk icing if Royal icing is a bit too difficult for you.

These cookies aren’t just delicious—they’re a great way to gather family or friends for a fun baking project. Whether you’re leaving them out for Santa, packaging them as gifts, or simply enjoying them with a warm drink, this recipe is bound to become a holiday favorite in your home.

What You Need To Make This Recipe

All-purpose flour: Flour provides the structure for the cookies, creating a sturdy dough that holds its shape when cut into festive designs.

Spices (Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg): These warm spices are essential for the signature flavor of gingerbread, giving the cookies their cozy, holiday-inspired aroma and taste.

Baking Soda: Baking soda acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies puff slightly during baking for a soft and light texture.

Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the rich, spiced flavors in the dough.

Softened Butter: Butter adds richness and a tender texture to the cookies while helping to bind the ingredients together. Make sure to use unsalted butter for this recipe.

Brown Sugar: Brown sugar not only sweetens the cookies but also adds a subtle caramel-like flavor that complements the molasses and spices.

Molasses: Molasses is the star ingredient in gingerbread, giving the cookies their deep, robust flavor and characteristic dark color. I used “original” unsulphured or dark molasses, also sold as “robust” molasses (What is unsulphured molasses?).

Egg: The egg binds the ingredients together and adds moisture, contributing to the dough’s elasticity and the cookie’s overall texture.

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla enhances the flavor profile of the cookies, adding a touch of sweetness and rounding out the spice blend.

How To Make Gingerbread Cookies

Step 1: Combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Cream softened unsalted butter and brown sugar until creamy and fluffy. This can be done with an electric hand/stand mixer to just a wooden spoon if you’re making the cookies by hand.

Step 3: Next add in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Step 4: Add in the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.

Step 5: Transfer the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and chill it for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Step 6: Once chilled, roll out the dough, cut out your cookies, place them onto a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes at 180 °C / 350 °F. Once baked let them cool completely before decorating them with an icing of your choice!

How To Store Gingerbread Cookies

Store your gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh and flavorful. Place a sheet of parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together. Properly stored, they’ll stay fresh for up to a week.

If you want to extend their shelf life, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Simply place the cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper. When ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature before serving. Decorated cookies should be handled with extra care to keep the icing intact during storage.

Pro Tips

Chill the Dough: You cannot skip this step! Chilling for 1-2 hours isn’t enough, you’ll need to chill the dough for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. This makes it easier to handle and helps the cookies keep their shape during baking. (This cookie dough is supposed to be sticky before chilling, that’s normal!)
Roll Evenly: Roll the dough to an even thickness (about 1/4 inch) to ensure consistent baking and avoid some cookies being over- or under-baked.
Use Parchment Paper: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking and eliminate the need for extra flour, which can dry out the dough.
Don’t Overwork the Dough: Handle the dough gently when re-rolling scraps to avoid making the cookies tough.
Bake in Batches: Bake similar-sized cookies together to ensure even cooking. Smaller shapes may bake faster and should be removed early.
Cool Completely Before Decorating: Let the cookies cool fully on a wire rack before decorating to prevent the icing from melting or sliding off.
Store Undecorated Cookies Separately: If making cookies ahead of time, store undecorated cookies and decorate them closer to when you’ll serve or gift them for the best presentation.

FAQ’s

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling, as chilled dough can be too firm to work with immediately.

How do I prevent the dough from sticking while rolling?

Rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper is the easiest way to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, but avoid adding too much flour to maintain the dough’s moisture.

What’s the best way to cut out shapes?

Use sharp-edged cookie cutters for clean shapes. Dip the cutters in a little flour if the dough starts to stick. Press straight down and lift without twisting to keep the edges crisp.

How do I make soft vs. crisp gingerbread cookies?

For softer cookies, roll the dough slightly thicker (about 1/4 inch) and bake for the

shorter end of the recommended time. For crisper cookies, roll thinner and bake a bit longer, keeping an eye on the edges to avoid burning.

What icing works best for decorating?

Royal icing is ideal for intricate decorations and designs, as it dries hard and glossy. For a simpler option, use a basic powdered sugar glaze.

What type of molasses should I use?

Unsulphured molasses is the best choice for gingerbread cookies. It has a rich flavor without being too bitter or overpowering. Avoid blackstrap molasses, as it’s too intense and can make the cookies taste bitter.

Looking for more holiday cookie inspo? Try out my Jam Filled Shortbread Cookies, Cinnamon Raisin Slice and Bake Cookies, Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, or my easy Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Check out my YouTube Channel for more delicious recipe tutorials! Made one of my recipes? Tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations!

Recipe Card

Gingerbread Cookies

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 10

Chill Time: 4 hrs.

Total Time: 4 hrs. 25 min

Course: Desserts

Servings: (will vary based on the size of your cookie cutters)

Calories: 102kcal

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 cup ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (170g)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (150g)
1/2 cup molasses (80g)
1 large egg, room temp.
1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

Electric stand mixer/ Hand mixer (or a wooden spoon)
Large bowl
Small bowl
Spatula
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Cookie cutter (any of your favorite shapes)
2 Baking sheets, lined with parchment paper

Instructions

Combine all-purpose flour, all of the spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine softened butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until fuffly and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
Next add in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat until fully incorporated.
Reduce the speed to low, gradually add in the dry mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Once all of the dry ingredients are combiend, stop mixing, you do not want to overmix the dough.
Use a spatula to transfer the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Cover it up, roll it out slightly to make a flat square of cookie dough. Chill the dough for 4 hours or up to overnight.
Once your cookie dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F.
Transfer the cookie dough onto a well floured surface (or a use 2 pieces of parchment paper to avoid using too much flour), roll it out into a rectangle that’s about 1/4 inch in thickness.
Gently dip your cookie cutter into some flour and cut out your cookies. Carefully place the cookies onto the lined baking sheets. Using an offset spatula to pick them up makes it really easy!
Bake for 10 minutes, one tray at a time in the center of your oven.
Once baked, let the gingerbread cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Decorate and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 102.1kcal

Total Fat: 4.46g

Carbs: 14.3g

Sugars: 5.95g

Protein: 1.35g

Sodium: 61.1mg

Fiber: 0.49g

** Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, cooking methods, portion sizes, and more. **