Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

What I Love About This Recipe:

• Soft and Chewy: My gingerbread cookie recipe makes perfectly soft and chewy gingerbread cookies every time! Yet they still hold up well for baking, decorating, and sharing.
• Easy Recipe: My gingerbread cookie recipe is an easy recipe made of flavorful ingredients.
• Make Ahead Friendly: The holidays are busy! I love to make the cookie dough or the soft gingerbread cookies and frosting ahead of time. See my tips below for making ahead and freezing.

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies

These homemade cookies are full of simple ingredients and spices.

Here’s how you’ll make them.

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Gingerbread cookies are made of the following simple ingredients: butter, brown sugar, molasses, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, vanilla extract, egg, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. I also like to include espresso powder to add depth to the flavor of my gingerbread cookies.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Gingerbread:

• Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in molasses and mix until well combined. Mix in the salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and egg until well combined.
• Whisk together baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Slowly stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.
• Divide the dough in half and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Roll the Gingerbread dough:

• Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator. Roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Roll the dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
• You may use a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin.
• Cut shapes with a cookie cutter and place them onto prepared baking sheets. At this point you can bake immediately, but I also like to pop them back into the freezer for about 15 minutes before baking to prevent them from spreading.

Bake the Gingerbread Cookies:

• Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
• Bake gingerbread cookies until they are lightly browned along the edges, about 10 minutes, or until they feel firm. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating if desired.
• If baking from frozen, bake for approximately 12 minutes or until done.

Decorate the Cookies:

Decorate the cookies with icing and your favorite candies, as desired. Have fun decorating with family and friends. This is a fun activity to do with children throughout the Christmas season! This really is the best gingerbread cookies recipe!

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

To make ahead. Make the gingerbread cookie dough, wrap it well with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When ready to roll and bake, remove from the refrigerator and follow the recipe.

To freeze cookie dough. Make the gingerbread cookie dough, wrap it well with plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to roll and bake, remove from the refrigerator and follow the recipe.

To freeze unbaked cookies. Place cut-out cookies onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and place into the freezer until the unbaked cookies are firmly frozen, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, layering the unbaked frozen cookies between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake from frozen, add 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.

To freeze baked cookies. Allow the baked cookies to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container layering between parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months.