I’ll show you how to make the BEST soft gingerbread cookies! These easy cookies are buttery and soft-baked with that signature rich molasses flavor and just the right amount of cozy spice. One bite, and you’ll never want to bake gingerbread any other way.
Craving more old-fashioned Christmas cookie recipes? Try these homemade gingersnap cookies, classic sugar cookies, and these gingerdoodles next.
Chewy, buttery, and packed with spice, my soft gingerbread cookies might just be the ultimate Christmas cookie! The house smells like a Hallmark movie bakery while these are in the oven. Like my gingerbread cupcakes, the smell of warm molasses and spice puts everyone in a festive mood. And as soon as I sink my teeth into a soft-baked gingerbread cookie, all the memories of hard, crunchy gingerbread from my childhood melt away. If crispy gingerbread isn’t your thing, you’ve arrived at the right place! I love adding these gingerbread cookies to our annual cookie platters, and I’ll even make them into gingerbread cookie sandwiches.
Why This Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe Works
- Moist, chewy texture. I developed this recipe after my snickerdoodle cookies. In this case, I added molasses and spices, but kept that soft, chewy texture with the help of extra butter and an egg yolk.
- Signature spices. Along with the molasses, a classic combination of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves packs these soft gingerbread cookies with their classic sweet spice, without being overpowering.
- Sugary crunch. I roll these cookies in sugar for a sparkly finish with just the right amount of crunch.
- One bowl and no chilling. No need to mix ingredients separately or chill the cookie dough. Mix the dough in one bowl, portion out the gingerbread cookies, and bake!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make These Cookies
Here are the easy pantry ingredients needed to make the best soft gingerbread cookies. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the full, printable recipe.
- Butter – Not only does the butter flavor these cookies, but it also helps keep them soft and moist. I always bake with salted butter, but unsalted works, too.
- Granulated Sugar – You can go half-and-half with brown sugar, or use light brown sugar instead.
- 1 Egg + 1 Yolk – The extra egg yolk contributes to these cookies’ rich, chewy texture.
- Molasses – Use dark molasses or light molasses. Blackstrap molasses can sometimes have a bitter flavor.
- Baking Soda and Salt – Check the expiration dates on your leavening. If it’s old or expired, you’ll need to buy fresh.
- Spices – Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. You could use a blend, like pumpkin pie spice, which contains similar ingredients.
- All-purpose Flour – Make sure to measure the flour correctly using a kitchen scale or the spoon-and-sweep method. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Don’t scoop! Then, level off the cup with a knife. This avoids overmeasuring, which makes the cookies crumbly.
How to Make Soft Gingerbread Cookies
These are the steps. Just like any cookie recipe, the trick here is to not overmix and not overbake for perfectly soft, tender cookies.
- Mix the wet ingredients. First, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then, mix in the molasses, followed by the egg and additional yolk, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Add the flour. Next, slowly add the flour, mixing just until the dough comes together.
- Portion the cookies. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the gingerbread dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons in size. Roll each ball in extra sugar, and place them on a lined baking sheet 2-3 inches apart.
- Bake. Bake your gingerbread cookies at 350ºF for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet, and then move them to a wire rack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for this recipe! These gingerbread cookies bake up soft, thick, and perfectly shaped without having to chill the dough beforehand. Use a cookie scoop to ensure all the cookies are the same size, so that they bake evenly.
If you don’t have it, or if you simply dislike molasses, you can substitute dark brown sugar for all the sugar and the molasses in the recipe. Note that your cookies won’t have that true gingerbread flavor, but it’ll be as close as possible. Dark corn syrup, another alternative, offers the same texture and color, but not the same flavor.
Optional Mix-Ins
These cookies are delicious on their own, but you can always change them up with your favorite add-ins and variations. Try dipping half of the cookie in melted white chocolate, or try any of the following mix-in ideas:
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips + ½ cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
- ¾ cup chopped candied ginger
Make-Ahead
- To freeze the baked cookies, allow them to cool completely and stack them in a plastic container, or carefully place them in a large zip-top bag and freeze them for up to a month.
- To freeze cookie dough, portion out the dough, roll it into balls, and then roll the dough balls in sugar as directed. Pre-freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet until frozen solid. Then, place the dough balls in a large zip-top bag to store until you’re ready to bake. You can bake the dough from frozen, just add an extra minute or so to the bake time!
Storage and Freezing
- Store airtight. To keep these gingerbread cookies soft, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze. Freeze these cookies in an airtight container for up to 30 days for best freshness. Thaw at room temperature.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
These are the best soft gingerbread cookies! They’re moist, buttery, and packed with the classic gingerbread flavor of molasses and warm spices.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg plus 1 yolk
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup additional sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add in molasses and mix until incorporated.
- Beat in egg plus additional yolk, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Mix until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in flour until dough comes together.
- Using a medium (2- tablespoon) cookie scoop portion out the dough and roll into balls. Roll balls in extra sugar and place on baking sheet 2-3 inches apart.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are golden.
- Allow to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 153
- Sugar: 13.8 g
- Sodium: 109.4 mg
- Fat: 6.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.9 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 30.8 mg
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*This recipe was originally published in 2013, but the pictures and tips were updated in 2019. The recipe remains the same.
Would it totally ruin the recipe if molasses is omitted?
Yes, it kind of would. If yo don’t love molasses you could sub in dark corn syrup.
Just made these and they are delicious! The white chocolate chips go perfectly with them!
Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Cookies?! Christmas Joy!
I love soft gingerbread cookies! What a fun idea to add chocolate chips to them.
Now you’ve got me seriously craving gingerbread cookies! I’ll have to try these, they sound delicious!
Love these!! What a great idea to add chocolate chips – genius! 🙂
Ooh these sound right up my street! I love soft gingerbread, way better than when it is hard like in the houses!
True story, I have like 5 half full jars of molasses. I don’t even know where I use it all. But I know I’ll be using some of it for these cookies!!!!
These look so moist and fluffy unlike other gingerbread cookies I’ve seen. Love the addition of the chips 🙂
I’ve never been a big Gingerbread fan either, but maybe I’ll have to give these a try and see if I’m a convert too! Though these look similar to some molasses cookies I’ve made that I lurrrrve, so maybe they’re the same thing with just a different name and I’m already a convert after all!