Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
These perfectly soft and chewy gingerbread cookies have the best melt in your mouth texture and are so cute for Christmas! They’re thick and chewy, with soft centers and tender edges, and they’re flavored with molasses and lots of warm spices for that classic gingerbread taste. They’re the perfect gingerbread cookies to bake this Christmas season!
Why These are the Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
They’ve got the best flavor. Molasses and warm Christmas spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice give these cookies the absolute best gingerbread flavor.
They’re super chewy. They use all brown sugar and egg yolks to keep them extra chewy and give them the best “bite”.
They’re fun to make. They do require a bit of work but making them is half the fun. They’re the perfect baking project to do with your loved ones this Christmas.
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!
FAQs
Do I really have to chill the dough twice? Well, yes. If you don’t chill the dough the first time, it will be hard to work with because it’s soft, and if not the second time, the cookies will spread more in the oven giving you extra large and not very cute gingerbread people.
How do I store these cookies? Store them in an airtight container for up to four days.
Can I make the dough beforehand? You can make the dough and keep it in the fridge for up to three days before baking the cookies. You will want to leave the dough out of the fridge for about 30 minutes until it’s soft enough to roll out. You can also freeze the dough for up to two weeks before using. Just make sure it’s wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and then put in a plastic baggie or container so that it is completely airtight!
Pro Tips
Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. (Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way that I need to measure properly!) Instead, sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
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!
Other Recipes to Try
Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread Cookies
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (please see notes)
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp 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
- 1/2 cup (170 g) unsulphured molasses
For the Icing
- 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45 ml) whole milk
Instructions
For the Gingerbread Cookies
- Add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt and baking soda to a medium sized bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (please see notes), 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 tbsp 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
- To a large bowl add the butter and brown sugar. Cream together with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- Add the egg yolks, molasses and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.2 egg yolks, at room temperature, 1/2 cup (170 g) unsulphured molasses, 1 tsp vanilla
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Divide the dough into two and form into balls.
- Place each portion of dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll each until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle flour over each portion of dough to keep it from sticking to the top piece of parchment paper. I noticed that if I didn't do this, there were little air bubbles on the surface of the dough, but a little flour helped to smooth everything out!
- Chill the each portion of dough for 30-45 minutes until it's a little firmer.
- Cut cookies out with various cookie cutters.
- Transfer the cut cookies to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Chill the cut cookies for 45 minutes- 1 hour, or until ready to bake. You'll want to chill them until the dough is completely cold and firm.I know it's a faff to have to chill them again, but chilling the cutout cookie dough really ensures that the cookies keep their shape while baking. This dough is very soft and in order to 1. have chewy gingerbread cookies and 2. be able to work with the dough, it requires two chillings. If you skip the second chilling the cookies will still taste good, but they won't keep their shape as well. (You can chill the cookies together on one or two baking sheets, and then separate them out when ready to bake.)
- When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 ℉ (175 ℃). (Line another baking sheet with parchment paper if the cookies are together on one sheet.)
- Arrange the chilled cookie cutouts about 2 inches apart from each other.
- Bake regular sized cookies, that are roughly 3 1/2 inches for 9-10 minutes. Bake mini cookies, that are roughly 2 inches for 7-8 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to completely cool.
For the Icing
- Sift powdered sugar into a medium sized bowl.2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
- Stir in milk. (Start with 2 tbsp and add in more milk if too dry.) The icing should be thick and drip slowly off of a spoon.2-3 tbsp (30-45 ml) whole milk
- Add icing to a piping bag fitted with a very small circular tip, or just cut a tiny bit off the end of the piping bag.
- Decorate the cookies as you wish. Let the icing dry, then serve!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days for the best taste.
Ginny, I made this recipe, and I have to tell you it was one of the best 🙂 two thumbs up, Thanks for sharing it! – Arezou
Hi. Yummy looking gingerbread cookies. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
May I ask how many grams will it be for ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened. Does it make any difference in when weight when converting it to grams for powdered sugar and all purpose flour?
Hey Eileen! Just updated the recipe to include the metric measurements for everything 🙂
So soft and flavorful. Thank you for sharing this recipe. We had a fun ‘ginger-day” with friends and kiddos decorating them.
Hi Ginny,
What could be a substitute for molasses? In my country is kinda difficult to find.
Hi Mon! Molasses is a key ingredient in gingerbread, and gives it the iconic “gingerbread flavor”. I’m not sure where you’re located, but if you can find black treacle that could be similar, otherwise honey would work to give you a similar texture as molasses would, but the taste will not be the same. I hope this helps!
If I use fancy molasses will it turn out the same?
Yes! Should be perfectly fine 🙂
Hi Ginny,
I just made this recipe. The cookies turned out great. This is first time eating gingerbread cookies so not sure what to look for. Is 170 g the correct measurement of gingerbread cookies? Could I bring it down a little? Thank you so much!
hello ginny,after i shaped the gingerbread cookies do i let them chill in the fridge for 1 h or let them stay in the kitchen? thank you!
The best gingerbread cookies EVER! The texture is incredible; soft, chewy and moist, kind of like if a brownie was a cookie. I’ll be making these every Christmas from now on.
Can you uses the sugar instead of the syrup
This is the best gingerbread cookie recipe i have ever tried! The cookies were soft and chewy and had that perfect spicy ginger taste. I cannot rave about them enough I made 2 batches and they were all finished within hours!
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Hi from Australia, the only molasses available where I am is blackstrap molasses and it’s vile! Could I substitute golden syrup instead please? It’s very hot and humid now so will these keep their shape for edible gifts?
Much appreciated
Ruby
Hi! Thanks for visiting the blog 🙂 Sadly I haven’t tried substituting so I wouldn’t recommend it but if you end up trying it let us know how it turns out! Best of luck xx
This recipe is sooo yummy, but my only question is there way to make it a bit less sweet?
My family doesn’t like overly sweet things and they all say this recipe is so good but after a cookie or too its just too sweet
Will be making this today. Can this raw dough be frozen? Or must I bake them first? Im a little behind with christmas baking and id like to freeze the dough before cooking
These cookies were great!!! The only thing I’m confused about is the quantity mentioned that it yields is WAY off! I used a 3 1/2” gingerbread man cookie cutter. The recipe made just 13 cookies. No where close to the 32 mentioned in the recipe. Just a heads up. Maybe it was a typo?!
So happy you enjoyed these Clare! The only thing I can think of is maybe how thin did you roll out your dough? Was it thin enough to make more cookies? Sorry that happened and thanks for letting me know! xx
Okay i made these yesterday because our christmas is pushed back today (christmas eve)….I just ate a quick one this morning and they are absolutely perfect cookies. Chewy with a little crunch. I made mine a little thin because I continue to not know measurements but they turned out amazing. This is going to be my go to gingerbread man recipe. Thank you! Merry Christmas from 🇨🇦
Merry Christmas! Thanks so much for making these!
I forgot to rate the recipe! 5/5
Yay, Lauren! Thank you! Xx