Soft Gingerbread Cookies
These soft gingerbread cookies bake with crisp edges and a chewy center, packed with bold ginger-cinnamon flavor.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3.5 cups all-purpose flour spooned into the cup and leveled (or weigh for accuracy)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger for bold spice flavor
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground allspice
- 0.5 tsp ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temperature (not greasy)
- 0.75 cup brown sugar packed light or dark
- 0.6667 cup unsulphured molasses use dark or unsulphured; avoid blackstrap
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For Decorating (Optional)
- easy cookie icing optional
- royal icing optional, for detailed designs
- cinnamon buttercream optional, soft finish (best for same-day serving)
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 1 minute until smooth. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat until thick and well blended, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add egg and vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla, then mix on high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture looks smooth and glossy (it may look slightly separated at first—keep mixing).
- Combine wet and dry: Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Divide and chill: Split dough in half, press each half into a flat disc, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days). Chilling is required to prevent spreading and improve flavor.
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2–3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disc to about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick. Dip cookie cutters in flour before each cut, then place shapes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the baking sheets. Gather scraps, reroll, and repeat. Roll and cut the second dough disc the same way.
- Bake: Bake 9–10 minutes for standard 4-inch cookies. Smaller shapes bake about 8 minutes; larger shapes may need 11 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots. Shorter bake time = softer centers; longer bake time = crisper edges.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Store: Keep cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week to maintain a soft, chewy texture.
Notes
Flour tip: For the softest cookies, weigh flour (440 g). Too much flour can make gingerbread dry and crumbly.
Chill time: Chill dough at least 3 hours; overnight is even better for flavor and easier rolling.
Freezing dough: Wrap dough discs tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Freeze unbaked cutouts: Freeze shapes on a lined tray until solid, then store in a freezer-safe container. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
Freeze baked cookies: Plain or decorated cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Let icing dry fully and separate layers with parchment.
Decorating options: Royal icing is best for fine details and dries firm; easy cookie icing is beginner-friendly; cinnamon buttercream is a soft, same-day topping.
Note: This dough is ideal for cutouts and decorating, but it is not designed for building gingerbread houses.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving
Approximate values based on one medium cookie without icing.- Calories: 165
- Total Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
- Sodium: 95mg
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Sugar: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g