Nothing brings the magic of the holidays home quite like the aroma of soft and chewy gingerbread cookies baking in the oven! Packed with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and clove, and a deep, rich flavor from molasses, these cookies are perfect for cold autumn nights. Our favorite way to enjoy them is with a tangy apple cider cream cheese frosting, and the best part? This recipe can be made up to three days in advance, ensuring you always have these delightful treats on hand for gatherings or quiet evenings!
The flour and spices
The first step is to combine all the dry ingredients. The flour, baking soda, sea salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. It may seem like there is a lot of ginger but in the end, you will find that it is just the right amount. Sifting the dry ingredients will help avoid the cookies having any pockets of flour or baking powder. Also it will help in mixing.
Butter, molasses, and the rest of the ingredients
Creaming the butter is next. This is just whipping the butter so it is soft and light. After creaming the butter, add the molasses and the brown sugar. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Ingredients can get stuck on the bottom of the mixing bowl and they want to be a part of the fun. The egg and vanilla are next. Add them to the bowl and get them introduced to the rest of the ingredients. After mixing them in, start adding the flour mixture.
Combine the flour in two batches to keep the kitchen from getting covered in flour. Keep your mixer at a slow speed until both batches are combined. The dough will be very sticky. Divide the dough into two discs about five inches across and 1/2 inch thick, and cover in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to three days.
Two ways to make the gingerbread cookies
Both ways to roll and bake the dough will result in soft and chewy gingerbread cookies. The first way to roll out the dough is for cut-outs. You can make gingerbread man or gingerbread women that are perfect for icing. The dough will be cold and sticky when you roll it out for cookie cutters. Keep your board and rolling pin floured. Try not to use too much flour because if you roll the dough back up after cutting out the cookies, the extra dough will be rolled up with the dough. If you end up using the dowels, just place the dowels on either side of the dough and roll the dough out. Once the dough is rolled out to about 1/4 inch you can cut out your cookies! Make sure to keep the edges of your cookie cutters floured. Place the cookies on a lined baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes. This will make the gingerbread cookies smooth for icing. See the picture below
The second way is to roll the chilled to the size of a walnut and roll the ball in sugar. I usually press the balls down slightly to make sure they flatten out. The baking time and temperature are the same. 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Check them at 8 minutes to see if they are flattened out to your liking. If not, bake them for a couple minutes more. They will remain chewy. Make sure to store them in an airtight container.
The gingerbread cookie recipe is a great cookie to keep on hand through the holiday. It is a great addition to a cookie exchange! Try them iced with my Apple Cider Cream Cheese Frosting! Another make ahead cookie are the lime meltaways! Enjoy!
If you like these gingerbread cookies, please visit my cookies page for more ideas!
FAQ’s
You can prepare the dough for these soft and chewy gingerbread cookies up to three days in advance, storing it covered in the fridge. This makes them perfect for holiday prep!
Sifting the dry ingredients helps to ensure they are well-combined and eliminates any lumps of flour or baking powder. This results in a smoother dough and prevents pockets of unmixed ingredients in your baked cookies.
Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to three days) helps it firm up, making it easier to roll out and work with. It also allows the flavors to meld, contributing to a richer final taste.
Yes, absolutely! This recipe is versatile. You can roll out the chilled dough (keeping your surface and rolling pin floured) to about 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to make gingerbread men, women, or other shapes, perfect for icing.
Once baked and cooled, store these gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help them retain their soft and chewy texture for days.
Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons room temperature butter
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups of unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- 4 ½ teaspoons of ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- In an appropriate sized bowl, sift together or whisk the flour, baking soda, sea salt, ginger, cinnamon cloves and allspice then set aside.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or with a stand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. About one minute.
- Add brown sugar and molasses to the butter mixture and mix until combined and creamy.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that it is all combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients and combine.
- The dough will be sticky.
- Divide the dough in half. Form each half into rough squares about five inches by five inches and an 1/2 inch or so thick.
- Wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to three days.
Rolling and Baking:
- Flour your board a little bit and rolling pin well because the dough is sticky.
- Roll the dough out to about ¼ inch. I have had success with rotating the dough 90 degrees with each roll. Try to make sure the bottom is not sticking. Apply a touch of flour if needed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut out your gingerbread cookies and place them one inch apart on your baking sheet. I use a 2-3 inch round cutter but you can use all kinds of fun shapes!
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Notes
- How far in advance can I make these gingerbread cookies? You can prepare the dough for these soft and chewy gingerbread cookies up to three days in advance, storing it covered in the fridge. This makes them perfect for holiday prep!
- Why do you recommend sifting the dry ingredients? Sifting the dry ingredients helps to ensure they are well-combined and eliminates any lumps of flour or baking powder. This results in a smoother dough and prevents pockets of unmixed ingredients in your baked cookies.
- What’s the purpose of chilling the gingerbread dough? Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to three days) helps it firm up, making it easier to roll out and work with. It also allows the flavors to meld, contributing to a richer final taste.
- Can I make cut-out gingerbread cookies with this recipe? Yes, absolutely! This recipe is versatile. You can roll out the chilled dough (keeping your surface and rolling pin floured) to about 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to make gingerbread men, women, or other shapes, perfect for icing.
- How do I store these soft and chewy gingerbread cookies to keep them fresh? Once baked and cooled, store these gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help them retain their soft and chewy texture for days.
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