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4.6 from 1,473 votes

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

This delightful recipe is easy to follow and perfect for any occasion.

Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 24 mins
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 167 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup packed dark or light brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup unsulphured molasses (not black strap)
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. With an electric mixer (stand or handheld), stir together the flour, brown sugar, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
  2. Add the butter and mix at medium-low speed until the mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add the molasses and milk, and mix on low speed until the dough is evenly combined, 30-45 seconds.
  4. Scrape the dough onto a work surface and divide it in half. Working with one portion at a time, roll or press the dough ¼-inch thick between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment paper, stack the dough on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Or refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or overnight.)
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Remove one dough sheet from the freezer or refrigerator and place on the counter. Peel off the top parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into gingerbread people (or you can use a round cutter to cut circle cookies). Work quickly; the dough softens and can be harder to work with the longer it's out of the refrigerator.
  7. Transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about an inch apart. You can use a thin metal spatula to help transfer the cookies to the baking sheets. If the dough is sticking and hard to peel up after cutting into shapes, pop the tray back in the refrigerator or freezer.
  8. Repeat with the remaining dough until the baking sheets are full. Because flour is not added during rolling, dough scraps can be rolled and cut as many times as necessary.
  9. Bake the cookies until just set, about 8 to 9 minutes. Don't overbake! Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. Frost or pipe, as desired (see notes for the frosting recipe I use).
  11. Store the gingerbread cookies at room temperature or in the refrigerator in a covered container.

Notes

  • Icing: I use the following icing to pipe faces/decorations on the cookies: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 tablespoon corn syrup, a splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. Add more milk (just a few drops at a time) if the frosting is too thick. It should be thick but still able to be spread or piped. The frosting will set after a few minutes, enough to gently stack a few cookies, but doesn't harden as much as royal icing. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 cookie Calories 167kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 15mg (5%) Sodium 140mg (6%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 15g (30%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 167

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 cookie
Calories 167kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 140mg 6%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 15g 30%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.