These Gingerbread Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with the warm flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, making a gingerbread house, or decorating cookies with the family, this easy recipe guarantees deliciously spiced cookies with a perfect balance of sweetness and depth.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔ Soft & Chewy Texture – Not too hard, not too soft—just right!
✔ Perfectly Spiced – A warm blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
✔ Easy to Decorate – Holds its shape beautifully for icing and sprinkles.
✔ Great for Gifting – A holiday classic everyone loves!
Ingredients (Makes About 24 Cookies)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Decorating (Optional)
- Royal icing or store-bought icing
- Sprinkles, candies, or edible glitter
How to Make the Best Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- Add softened butter and mix until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Stir in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until a dough forms.
Step 2: Chill the Dough
- Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 2 days). This helps the flavors develop and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
Step 3: Roll & Cut the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes (gingerbread men, stars, trees, etc.).
Step 4: Bake & Cool
- Place cookies on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes for soft cookies or 10-12 minutes for crispier ones.
- Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5: Decorate!
- Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate with royal icing, sprinkles, or candies.
- Let icing set before stacking or storing.
Tips for the Best Gingerbread Cookies
???? Chill the Dough – This prevents spreading and makes rolling easier.
???? Roll Evenly – Keep the dough an even ¼-inch thick for uniform cookies.
???? Bake Just Right – For softer cookies, remove them at 8 minutes. For crispier ones, go up to 12 minutes.
???? Get Creative! – Use different cookie cutters and colorful icing for fun designs!
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
❄️ Make-Ahead: Dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
???? Storage: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
???? Freeze: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp before decorating.
Nutrition (Per Cookie – Approximate)
- Calories: 120
- Carbs: 18g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Fat: 5g
- Sugar: 8g
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