Soft Gingerbread Cookies
PREP TIME: 2 HR 25 MIN
COOK TIME: 8 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 2 HR 33 MIN
The softest, pillowy gingerbread cookies that are filled with warm spices and tons of flavor. This soft gingerbread cookies recipe is nothing like the hard, dry cookies you’ve had before.
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Soft Gingerbread Cookies
The softest, pillowy gingerbread cookies that are filled with warm spices and tons of flavor. This soft gingerbread cookies recipe is nothing like the hard, dry cookies you’ve had before.
Why These Soft Gingerbread Cookies Are So Good
When you think about the holidays there’s a good chance you’ll think about baking cookies. Imagine the scent of warm gingerbread cookies baking in the oven, filling the house with a cozy smell. Baking up these gingerbread cookies will take your holiday cookie enjoyment to a new level. While crispy gingerbread is well and good, these soft gingerbread cookies are so craveable!
Hints of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and molasses give this cookie it’s classic flavor but with a soft and chewy texture.
Ingredients
Gingerbread cookies have a warmth and coziness that’s nostalgic. To recreate that feeling all of the spices in these cookies are a must! We use a lot of ground ginger to flavor the dough which then brings out a lovely ginger-y holiday feel. The molasses creates the traditional taste of gingerbread while adding ground cinnamon compliments it.
- Molasses + spices to create a warm and cozy flavor
- All-purpose flour as a stabilizer and thickener
- Unsalted butter for flavor and chew
- Salt + vanilla extract for flavor
- Baking soda as a rising agent
- Egg for structure and adds a slight chew
- Granulated sugar to add sweetness and compliment the molasses
How to Make Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Let’s breakdown how to make soft gingerbread cookies into steps. Keep in mind that they do need to chill for at least two hours or more but only take about 7-8 minutes to bake in the oven.
- Part 1: Make the gingerbread dough
- Part 2: Chill
- Part 3: Bake the cookies
- Part 4: Make royal icing
- Part 5: Decorate!
Part 1: Make the gingerbread dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon. Set the bowl aside.
Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer (this cordless mixer is my favoriteeee). You want to beat the butter for 30 seconds on medium/high speed, then add the sugar and beat on medium speed until creamed, about 2 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of your bowl with a silicone spatula. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Add in the molasses and mix until everything is combined. If it looks curdled, that’s okay. Then add the dry ingredients in two parts, mixing on low speed until combined. Stopped mixing when there are no streaks of flour left.
Part 2: Chill
The dough will be sticky and soft. You can gently knead it to just bring it together but don’t over do it. Wrap the dough in a piece of plastic wrap and flatten it gently with your hand into a disc. It’s much easier to roll out cookie dough when it’s in a disc shape.
This dough has to be chilled for at least 2 hours, overnight, or up to three days in the refrigerator. This dough is too soft and sticky to roll out and cut shapes. Do not skip chilling!! The patience will all pay off!
Part 3: Bake
After chilling for two hours, take the dough out of the refrigerator. Add some flour onto a clean work surface. Roll out the chilled dough discs to about 1/4-inch thick. If you see cracks on the sides, that’s because the dough is cold but that’s okay! Gently push the cracks together with your hands.
Cut-out shapes using a traditional gingerbread man cookie cutter or us any shape you’d like. Gather the dough scraps and gently knead them together and then re-roll and cut out more cookies.
Place the cut-out cookies onto a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake on 350°F (177°C) for 7-8 minutes. It’s important to not over-bake the cookies so they stay soft and chewy. These gingerbread cookies bake up very quickly so keep an eye out. When you take them out of the oven, they may look extra puffy and soft, but as they cool they will firm up.
Part 4: Make royal icing
While the cookies cool it’s time to make royal icing! I think these cookies taste delicious as is, but adding some royal icing decorations makes them look cute and taste great with a little bit of sweetness from the icing.
Whip down your stand mixer with some vinegar to clean any fats and oil residue. Whisk the egg whites using a paddle attachment for 30 seconds on low speed. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time to avoid a mess. Once all of the sugar is added turn the speed up to medium-high and mix until stiff peaks form. Transfer the royal icing into piping bags which will make decorating a lot easier.
Part 5: Decorate
Once your cookies are cooled, it’s time to get creative and decorate the cookies. If you cut them into people shape, add smiling or funny frowning faces lol, dresses, pants, squiggles, buttons, the possibilities are endless! This is a fun decorating project to do with kids! Add decorating extras like sprinkles, chocolate chips, gumdrops, and candies!
Freezing & Storing
You can freeze cookie dough wrapped in plastic wrap, in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you want to bake, place the cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight.
Decorated or undecorated cookies stay fresh for 5 days in an airtight container or freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for 1 month. Let them thaw before serving.
RECIPE CARD
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (57g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar, or light brown sugar (100g)
- ½ cup molasses (use unsulphured, do not use blackstrap! I use Grandma’s brand) (170g)
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Royal Icing
- 3 egg whites or 3.4 fl oz pasteurized liquid egg whites
- 4 cups powdered sugar (460g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp kosher salt
- With a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixture, beat the butter for 30 seconds on medium-high speed. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add in the molasses and mix until combined.½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, ½ cup granulated sugar, or light brown sugar, ½ cup molasses (use unsulphured, do not use blackstrap! I use Grandma’s brand)
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until incorporated.1 egg, room temperature, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Scrap down the sides of your bowl with a spatula. If it looks curdled, that's okay. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, mixing on low speed until combined.
- The dough will be sticky and soft. Gently knead it to bring together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and gently flatten into a disc with your palm. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight or up to three days in the refrigerator. This is important because the dough is too soft and sticky to roll out and cut shapes. Do not skip chilling.
- After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Take out the chilled dough and flour your work surface. Don't wait for this dough to reach room temperature. Roll the chilled dough discs to be about 1/4-inch thick, making half turns after each roll so the dough is even thickness. It's okay if it cracks on the sides, just keep working the dough.
- Cut out your dough with cookie cutters and place them about 1-inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes for cookies. Don't over-bake these or they will be too hard. When you take them out of the oven, they may look puffy and extra soft, but as they cool they will firm up. Tranfer to a wire cooling rack.
Royal Icing
- Attach the whisk attachment to your stand mixer. If using liquid egg whites, measure out 3.4 fl oz. If using fresh eggs, separate your egg whites from the yolks. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add your egg whites. Beat the egg whites at low speed until frothy, about 30 seconds.3 egg whites or 3.4 fl oz pasteurized liquid egg whites, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix on low speed in-between additions. (Add optional vanilla extract)After all the sugar is added, set the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form (5-8 minutes). When removing the whisk attachment, the peaks should stand up without running back into the bowl.
- Scoop the royal icing into piping bags and decorate your gingerbread men. Royal icing dries hard.
- Store undecorated or decorated cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
I loved them!!