These Gingerbread Cookies are soft in the middle, crisp at the edges, and ideal for decorating with icing and sprinkles.
If you enjoy holiday baking, try other favorites like Gingerbread loaf, Peanut Butter Blossoms, or Chimney Cakes.
About This Recipe
One of the best memories of the season for me was building gingerbread houses as a kid. My friend’s mom, a professional baker, would host us and we spent hours assembling and decorating. The only downside was we rarely ate the houses we made — they were too precious to break apart.
Now I make gingerbread cookies instead: all the fun of shaping and decorating with none of the guilt. This is my best gingerbread cookie recipe — they bake tender in the center with crisp edges and are full of warm, festive spices. Molasses and brown sugar give them a deep, rich flavor that pairs beautifully with ginger and cinnamon. They hold up well to icing and sprinkles, and they’re easy to make ahead when the dough is chilled.
Key Ingredients
Butter: Use softened butter so it creams easily with the sugar. If your butter is cold, beat it alone for a couple of minutes to soften before adding other ingredients.
Brown sugar: Adds moisture and a caramel note. Because molasses is already used in the dough, you could substitute white sugar if desired, but brown sugar gives the classic gingery flavor and color.
Spices: A blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, and a pinch of salt. Allspice is optional but adds depth.
Flour: Spoon and level your flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping directly to avoid packing and overmeasuring.
Baking soda: Provides a little lift by reacting with the molasses so the cookies aren’t overly dense.
Molasses: Use unsulphured molasses for the best flavor; avoid blackstrap for cookies.
Egg: Binds the dough and contributes to texture.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with packed brown sugar, salt, and the spices until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
STEP 2: Add the molasses and egg and mix until well combined.
STEP 3: Whisk the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl, then mix into the wet ingredients until just combined.
STEP 4: Divide the dough in half, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Chilling firms the dough and makes it easier to roll.
STEP 5: Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then roll it out to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut shapes with cookie cutters.
STEP 6: Arrange the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a little space between each.
STEP 7: Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes until edges are set. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 8: For the icing, combine powdered sugar, warm water, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Beat on low speed to combine, then increase to medium and beat 2–3 minutes until thick and glossy. Transfer to a piping bag or a Ziplock bag with the corner snipped and decorate as desired.
📋 Recipe
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter (softened)
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice (optional)
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup molasses (unsulphured)
- 1 large egg
For the icing
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
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In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, salt, and spices until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and egg and mix well.
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Whisk the flour and baking soda together, then fold into the wet mixture until combined.
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Divide the dough, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
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Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment. Let chilled dough rest 20 minutes at room temperature before rolling.
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Roll to ¼-inch thickness, cut shapes, and place on prepared sheets.
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Bake 8–10 minutes. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
For the icing
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Combine powdered sugar, warm water, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Beat on low, then medium speed for 2–3 minutes until thick and glossy. Cover until ready to use and pipe onto cooled cookies.
Did you make this?
Let me know how it was!