These perfect chewy ginger cookies have super chewy centers, soft and tender edges, and are full of spiced gingerbread flavor. A generous dip of brown butter vanilla icing is the finishing touch for these perfect, pillowy Christmas cookies.

Why You’ll Love These Chewy Ginger Cookies

They have the best texture– These cookies have super chewy centers with soft and tender edges.

They ‘re dipped in brown butter vanilla icing- The rich, nutty flavor of the brown butter icing compliments the spices of the cookies perfectly, adding the best finishing touch to these cookies.

They taste like Christmas– The dough is flavored with lots of warm spices and molasses for the best holiday gingerbread flavor.

For the full recipe, including measurements, step by step instructions, and bake time, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is just a brief overview!

Cream together the butter and brown sugar until very fluffy. Then mix in the egg yolks, molasses and vanilla.
Add in the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
Scoop the dough with a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, and roll them into balls. Then roll the dough balls in spiced sugar.
Place the cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Then bake.
After baking, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make the icing by browning the butter, then mixing in powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Dip half of each cookie in the icing, add some Christmas sprinkles, then let the icing set for a few minutes. Then enjoy! 🙂

Tips & Tricks for Perfect Cookies

Let the cookies cool. When the cookies are straight out of the oven they will look very puffy, but as they cool they will drop leaving you with super chewy centers!

Measure your flour properly. If you learn anything from making this recipe, please let it be this: measure your flour (and all other ingredients) with a digital kitchen scale. Please don’t bring me to tears; don’t scoop your measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to inaccurate flour measurements and therefore, a wonky bake.

Beat the egg yolks, molasses and vanilla thoroughly. Make sure to beat your egg yolks, molasses and vanilla into the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale in color and very fluffy, not just until it’s combined. This helps to give the cookies their pillowy texture.

When the cookies are straight out of the oven, scoot a large circular cookie cutter around them to give them a perfect circular shape! Because we’ll be rolling them into balls and shaping before baking, the cookies should be pretty round after baking, but to make them extra perfect use this trick! ?

Chewy Ginger Cookies FAQs

Why aren’t my cookies as flat as pictured? 

When the cookies are straight out of the oven they will appear “fluffy” and tall, but as they cool they will become flatter like the pictures show!

How do I store these cookies? 

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to three days, or freeze them for up to two weeks!

Why aren’t my cookies as chewy as they should be?

If your cookies came out cakey instead of chewy this most likely happened because the ingredients were not measured properly- too much flour, too much molasses etc. Use a digital kitchen scale so that your cookies (and all baked goods) come our perfectly every time.

Can these cookies be made gluten free?

I have been on my own gluten free journey lately and have found that most of my recipes turn out great GF- Hooray! There is a caveat though, I can only say the recipe will come out good with Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour. This is not sponsored, but my true opinion. This is the only gluten free flour I use as it bakes most similarly to regular, all-purpose flour.

If you make these cookies please leave a star review! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see your creation! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!

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Chewy Ginger Cookies

Yield: 18 cookies
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
These perfect chewy ginger cookies have super chewy centers, soft and tender edges, and are full of spiced gingerbread flavor. A generous dip of brown butter vanilla icing is the finishing touch for these perfect, pillowy Christmas cookies.
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Ingredients

For the Spiced Sugar

  • 6 tbsp (75 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

For the Chewy Ginger Cookies

  • 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup (110 g) unsulphured molasses 

For the Brown Butter Vanilla Icing

  • 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
  • 2-4 tbsp (30-60 ml) whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • holly sprinkles

Instructions
 

For the Spice Sugar

  • Add the sugar and spices to a small bowl. Whisk to combine then set aside.
    6 tbsp (75 g) granulated white sugar, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground allspice, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground cloves

For the Chewy Ginger Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ (175 ℃). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
    2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. (You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.)
    3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • Add in the egg yolks, molasses and vanilla and mix for one minute on medium speed until fluffy.
    2 egg yolks, at room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup (110 g) unsulphured molasses 
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine on low speed.
  • Scoop the dough into 18 portions with a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, then roll into balls. Roll the cookie dough balls in the spiced sugar.
  • Transfer the cookie dough to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 6 cookies at a time for 9-10 minutes.
  • Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. (As they cool they will go from puffy to flatter.)

For the Brown Butter Vanilla Icing

  • Add the brown butter to a small pot. Heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty aroma and has turned a deep golden brown. The whole process should take about 5 minutes.
    4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
  • Transfer the brown butter to a medium bowl. Add in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. (Start with 2 tbsp of milk, and add more gradually as needed.) Whisk together until smooth.
    2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar, 2-4 tbsp (30-60 ml) whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla
  • When the cookies are cooled, dip half of each cookie in the icing. Add holly or other Christmas sprinkles on top. Let the icing set, then enjoy!
    holly sprinkles
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 12 Days of Chirstmas Cookies, chewy cookies, chewy ginger cookies, Christmas, Christmas cookies, Cookies, gingerbread, gingerbread cookies
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