Start your holiday baking with the best gingerbread cookies. These treats have slightly crisp edges and a soft, tender center with warm molasses and spice flavors. Ready your cookie cutters and turn this classic dough into festive cut-outs, rounds, or dipped and frosted favorites.
Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
The star of these cookies is the rich molasses flavor balanced with brown sugar and ground ginger. They make perfect Christmas cookies and are ideal for cutting into shapes, baking as simple rounds, or decorating with frosting and candies for a fun spin.
Whether you’re starting a new holiday tradition or need a crowd-pleasing cookie for an exchange, this gingerbread cookie recipe is reliable and simple to make.
Ingredients You Will Need
- All-purpose flour – provides structure and texture.
- Baking soda – a leavening agent to help cookies rise slightly.
- Ground cinnamon – adds warm, aromatic flavor.
- Ground nutmeg – complements the cinnamon and ginger for a holiday spice blend.
- Ground ginger – gives the cookies their classic ginger flavor.
- Kosher salt – enhances and balances the flavors.
- Unsalted butter – for richness (if using salted butter, reduce added salt).
- Brown sugar – adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor.
- Egg – binds the dough.
- Molasses – the primary flavor note; light or dark molasses both work.
- Vanilla extract – rounds out the flavor.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
STEP 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
STEP 2. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar using an electric mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses, then beat on medium-high until fully combined.
STEP 3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on medium-low until a soft dough forms. Scrape the bowl as needed to incorporate everything evenly.
STEP 4. Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a flattened disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes to firm up.
STEP 5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Remove a dough disc from the fridge, unwrap, and roll to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and transfer to the prepared sheets. If the dough softens while working, rewrap and chill between batches to preserve shape.
STEP 6. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is set and the edges are just beginning to brown. For even baking, rotate the pan once halfway through.
STEP 7. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies in the Air Fryer
If you prefer a quicker method, you can bake these cookies in an air fryer using an adjusted time and temperature for your specific model. The dough and shaping process remain the same; simply reduce bake time and monitor closely so cookies don’t overbrown.
Royal Icing Recipe
Royal icing is ideal for crisp lines and smooth filling. A simple recipe:
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup meringue powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Whisk the water and meringue powder until dissolved, then gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Adjust thickness with more or less powdered sugar for piping or flooding. Use gel food coloring for vibrant hues.
Types of Molasses
Light or dark molasses work best for this recipe; they provide that classic depth without excessive bitterness. Blackstrap molasses is very strong and not recommended. If you’re out of molasses, corn syrup can be used in a pinch, though it will yield a slightly different flavor and texture.
Baking Tips
Decorate with candies: Use royal icing and small candies for buttons and details. Cinnamon candies, sprinkles, and small candies make easy decorations.
Easy cleanup: Place cooled cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets while decorating so you can discard the parchment afterward.
Let kids help: Give little ones small portions of dough to shape and decorate for a fun family activity.
Variations
Get creative with shapes and uses: cut stars, trees, or animal shapes, or divide dough to build small gingerbread houses. You can also dip edges in melted chocolate or sand frosted cookies with colored sugar for variety.
FAQ’s
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Once decorated, keep them at room temperature in the same type of container.
Yes. Cool completely, then layer cookies with parchment or wax paper between them and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature before decorating.
Wrap unused dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for later use. Chilled dough will keep its shape better when rolled and cut.
These cookies are slightly sweet with warm, spiced notes from ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and a rich backbone from the molasses. The balance of spices is gentle and crowd-pleasing.
More Cookie Recipes
Desserts
Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Desserts
Homemade Thin Mint Cookies
Desserts
White Chocolate Chip Cookies
4th of July Recipes
American Flag Fruit Pizza
Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Cookie cutters
- Icing bag and tips
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with a mixer. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses and beat until combined.
- Slowly add the dry mixture and mix on low until a soft dough forms. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets. Roll chilled dough to 1/4 inch, cut shapes, and place on prepared sheets. If dough softens, re-chill between batches.
- Bake 8–10 minutes until set and edges begin to brown.
- Cool on the baking sheet 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Notes
Using margarine instead of butter can cause cookies to lose their shape while baking. Chilling the dough helps cookies hold their shape; if finished cutting, keep the baking sheet in the refrigerator until baking.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 4 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.