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Best Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 146 reviews

These Best Gingerbread Cookies are a perfect holiday treat featuring a rich blend of molasses and warm spices. Soft and chewy with a slightly crisp edge, these cookies are easy to make and ideal for decorating with a simple homemade icing. Whether chilled overnight for easier handling or after a short time for extra chewiness, these gingerbread cookies bake to golden perfection and are perfect for festive gatherings or gift-giving.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Gingerbread Dough

  • 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 tbsp vegetable shortening
  • 3/4 cup (150g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup (250g) unsulphured molasses (Grandma’s recommended)
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4 tsp ground clove
  • 3 1/2 cups (450g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

For the Icing

  • 1 1/2 cups (165g) powdered sugar
  • 6–8 tsp water
  • 1 tsp corn syrup
  • Gel food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix fats and sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to cream the butter, shortening, and dark brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until light and creamy.
  2. Add vanilla, egg, and molasses: Scrape down the bowl, then mix in the vanilla extract and egg until smooth. Scrape again and mix in the molasses until the mixture is rich and glossy.
  3. Add spices and leavening agents: Incorporate the ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar until evenly combined within the mixture.
  4. Mix in flour: Add the all-purpose flour and mix thoroughly until a very thick, sticky dough forms. Fold the dough well using a strong silicone spatula to ensure even combination.
  5. Chill the dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured plastic wrap sheet, pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. One to two hours chilling results in the best chewy texture, while overnight chilling makes the dough easier to handle but slightly less chewy.
  6. Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut the dough in half and refrigerate one half. Flour and roll out the other half on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness, then cut into shapes using cookie cutters.
  7. Arrange and bake: Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, fitting 6-8 cookies per sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until cookies appear puffed with a cracked surface but centers look slightly underdone.
  8. Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. The cookies will flatten slightly as they cool.
  9. Repeat baking: Bake remaining dough halves following the same process. Reroll scraps as needed and refrigerate cutouts until baking.
  10. Make icing: Once cookies are completely cooled, whisk powdered sugar starting with 6 tsp water and corn syrup until a thick glue-like consistency forms. Add water 1 tsp at a time if too thick. Optionally mix in gel food coloring for decoration.
  11. Decorate: Pipe icing designs onto cooled gingerbread cookies and allow the icing to set before serving.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough for at least 1 hour improves chewiness; overnight chilling makes rolling easier but reduces chewiness slightly.
  • Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal.
  • For thicker cookies, slightly increase the baking time but watch carefully to prevent overbaking.
  • Customize cookie shapes with festive cookie cutters for holidays or special occasions.
  • The icing should be thick enough to pipe but add water gradually to avoid it becoming too runny.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week to maintain freshness.

Keywords: gingerbread cookies, holiday cookies, molasses cookies, soft gingerbread, Christmas cookies, decorated cookies

Find it online: https://nataliereeve.com/best-gingerbread-cookies-recipe/