Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

Soft and chewy Gingerbread Cookies recipe made with a simple gingerbread recipe and decorated however you like! Everyone loves this classic recipe and they taste delicious!

Looking for more holiday treats? Don’t miss our Ginger Molasses Cookies, Caramel Popcorn, or Chocolate Fudge!

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (1)

When I was young, we often decorated the “kids” Christmas tree with gingerbread cookies and it made the house smell amazing. This is the BEST recipe for soft, chewy gingerbread cookies.

What I LOVE about them:

  • Soft and Chewy: Gingerbread cookies have a reputation for being hard and crispy, but not this recipe! Follow my baking tips and they will turn out perfectly soft and chewy.
  • Make Ahead or Freeze:You can prepare the chewy gingerbread cookies or dough in advance. See tips below in the post.
  • Fun to Decorate: Kids of all ages love decorating Christmas gingerbread man cookies so plan it for your next Christmas party! You can make the soft gingerbread cookies and frosting ahead of time so that the kids can just enjoy decorating.
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2)

How to make Gingerbread Cookies:

Gingerbread is made with the following simple ingredients: brown sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, butter, milk, and molasses!

Make the Gingerbread: Mix flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a large mixing bowl.Add chunks of butter and incorporate them with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.Mix in the molasses and milk until combined.

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (3)

Refrigerate: Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours or overnight.

Roll the Dough: When ready to bake, roll out the dough to ½ inch thickness, use cookie cutters to cut gingerbread men, and place them on your cookie sheet. Bake them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Once cool, frost and decorate, if desired! You can use any kind of frosting or icing, and candy. It really is the best gingerbread cookies recipe!

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (4)

Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead:Make the gingerbread and store it, well covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.Roll out and cut into cookies when ready to bake. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them.

To Freeze:wrap the dough really well in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for 2-3 months.Allow the dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before attempting to roll. Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

For more holiday magic, try roasting chestnuts!

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (5)

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Recipe

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (6)

4.96 from 4621 votes

Gingerbread Man Cookies

Soft and chewy Gingerbread Cookies recipe made with a simple gingerbread recipe and decorated however you like! Everyone loves this classic recipe and they taste delicious.

Print Pin Review

Servings 24 (depending on size of cookie cutter)

Calories 214

Cost 5

Prep 25 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

refrigerate 2 hours hrs

Total 35 minutes mins

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Ingredients

For the frosting:

  • 2 Tablespoons butter , room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Add flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt to amixing bowl and mix.

  • Add the butter pieces and use a pastry blender to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles fine meal.

  • With a mixer running on low speed gradually add the molasses and milk and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.

  • Divide the dough in half, forming each into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, until firm, if you’re in a hurry. (Refrigeration is mandatory or the dough will be too sticky to handle).

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • Remove one dough sheet from the fridge/freezer and place on a well floured counter. Lightly flour the top of the dough and the rolling pin and roll out the dough (dust with a little more flour if needed), until it’s about ½ inch thick. Cut gingerbread men and place them on prepared baking sheets.

  • Refrigerate the gingerbread men for 5 minutes (meanwhile you can roll out the other dough ball).

  • Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes (depending on the size of your cookie cutter). Do not overbake!!

  • Remove the cookies to a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.

  • Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

For the frosting:

  • Add butter, milk, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add additional cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add frosting to piping bag if desired.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: Make the gingerbread cookie dough and store it, well covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Roll out and cut into cookies when ready to bake. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them.

Freezing Instructions: Wrap dough really well in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator before attempting to roll. Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 143mgPotassium: 190mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 210IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!

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I originally shared this recipe December 2018. Updated December 2020 and November 2022.

Process photos by Nikole from The Travel Palate

This post contains affiliate links.

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Categories

  • Christmas
  • Cookies
  • Dessert
  • Holiday
  • Kid Friendly Recipes

About The Author

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (11)

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? ›

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

What's the difference between ginger snaps and gingerbread cookies? ›

Both are spiced cookies. The main differences are that gingersnaps are typically rolled into balls, while gingerbread is rolled out and cut into shapes. Gingersnaps are also baked slightly longer, which is where they get their snappy crispiness. Gingerbread is typically a little chewier.

What is the best gingerbread in the world? ›

Victorian cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854 in the English Lake District village from where it gets its name. A unique, spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake, its reputation quickly spread and it is now enjoyed by food lovers all over the world.

Should you refrigerate gingerbread dough? ›

Chilling it for at least two hours or overnight gives the ingredients a chance to absorb one another, making it a whole lot easier to roll out the dough without it cracking. Follow this tip: Let the dough chill in the refrigerator, well-wrapped, for at least two hours or overnight before rolling it out.

What kind of molasses to use for gingerbread cookies? ›

Light molasses is the sweetest and mildest out of the bunch because it is made from the first boiling cycle,” she said. “I like to use this type of molasses because it adds moisture to cookies, resulting in a soft and chewy texture.”

Is shortening or butter better for gingerbread? ›

If you prefer butter to shortening, recognize that a gingerbread boy cookie made with Crisco or shortening will be higher and lighter than a gingerbread boy cookie made with butter which will be flatter and crispier.

Why do we eat gingerbread cookies at Christmas? ›

In the late 17th century, gingerbread became associated with Christmas. Russian bakers prepared gingerbread men and women, usually as replicas of those people attending parties. Gingerbread houses were introduced about 200 years later, when the Grimm brothers wrote Hansel and Gretel. A new holiday tradition was born.

What makes gingerbread taste like gingerbread? ›

Molasses. Some sweeteners used in gingerbread recipes are molasses, honey, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Molasses is the most associated with gingerbread.

What town is famous for gingerbread? ›

What is Grasmere Gingerbread. VICTORIAN cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread in 1854 in the English Lake District village from where it gets its name. A unique, spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake, its reputation quickly spread and it is now enjoyed by food lovers all over the world.

What city is known for gingerbread? ›

TORUN, Poland — This medieval city on the banks of the Vistula River is known for two things: astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus and gingerbread cookies.

Which country eats the most gingerbread? ›

In 2018, the highest levels of gingerbread per capita consumption was registered in the Netherlands (2,361 kg per 1000 persons), followed by Germany (886 kg per 1000 persons), Belgium (799 kg per 1000 persons) and Spain (748 kg per 1000 persons), while the world average per capita consumption of gingerbread was ...

What are gingerbread men called now? ›

Some bakeries are now calling gingerbread men by the gender neutral term “gingerbread people.” Do you agree with the change? I couldn't care less if they called them “gingerbread cookies.” Originally Answered: Some Bakeries are now calling Gingerbread men by the gender fluid title Gingerbread people.

What country invented gingerbread cookies? ›

Food historians trace the origins of gingerbread back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it for ceremonial purposes. The ancient Greeks followed suit with the first known recipe for gingerbread around 2400 B.C.

Is gingerbread healthy? ›

Research has also shown that it may improve dental hygiene, reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure. Similarly, nutmeg – another common ingredient in gingerbread – is associated with reduced inflammation and may benefit heart health.

Are gingerbread cookies always hard? ›

“It shouldn't look flat or dry,” he said. “There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

How hard should gingerbread be? ›

Gingerbread is supposed to have crisp edges and a soft centre, overworking the dough will make them tough – and nobody wants that! Chill your dough in the fridge before you roll it out, this relaxes the gluten in the dough and makes it easier to handle.

Should cookies be hard or soft? ›

You can take a bite or break off a piece. Either way, when you taste it, you'll know for certain if it's done. A cookie that's fully done shouldn't be doughy, nor should it be overly crunchy (unless you're making a really crunchy type of cookie). It should be soft, crumbly, and perfect when freshly baked.

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