Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
These thick and chewy cutout gingerbread cookies have an intense gingerbread flavor with a delicious and surprising soft chewiness.
Gingerbread is a classic holiday flavor. I love it. But I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of thin and crispy gingerbread cookies. I much prefer gingerbread cookie similar in texture to a really good, soft and chewy sugar cookie.
This recipe fits the bill. These cookies are packed with gingerbread flavor but the texture has a delicious and surprising soft chewiness that is unique for gingerbread and absolutely delicious.
Making Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
The dough comes together quickly, but in a bit of an unusual manner. In this recipe the dry ingredients are actually mixed together first:
- flour
- brown sugar
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- ginger
- cloves
- salt
And then the butter is added and mixed in until there are tiny pieces of butter throughout (similar to pie crust). Once the molasses and milk is mixed in, it comes together like soft gingerbread cookie dough.
There are no eggs in the recipe (it’s not a mistake!). They are egg-free and delicious.
Chill the Dough
It is essential to chill the dough so the cookies will hold their shape when baked.
Split the dough in half, roll each piece out about 1/4-inch thick on a piece of parchment paper, and then stack the dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate for a couple hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes.
Cut gingerbread people shapes out of the chilled dough. Or, if you don’t want to go the gingerbread people route, the dough can be cut into circles with a round cookie cutter (or really any other shape).
Don’t over bake!
The gingerbread cookies only bake for 8-9 minutes, and since we’re going for a soft and chewy cookie here, we definitely don’t want to over bake the cookies!
The Best Icing For Decorating Gingerbread Cookies
These soft cutout gingerbread cookies are delicious without any icing or frosting.
But, how can you resist putting a few smiley faces (er, or other funny emoji faces) on a gingerbread person cookie?
I use a simple icing for these gingerbread cookies. Once piped, it sets enough that you can stack a few cookies, but it doesn’t harden as much as royal icing (which is why I like it).
Gingerbread cookie icing: 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 texture of these soft cutout gingerbread cookies is amazing. Soft and chewy, they beat out thin and crispy gingerbread cookies all the way, in my opinion.
They are one of my favorite holiday cookies, and friends and family always rave at how good they are.
I promise they’re worth the mildly bothersome rolling and chilling step. (Maybe it’s just me, but I’m lazy and I hate chilling cookie dough.) Truly, they are one of the best gingerbread cookies ever!
FAQs for Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
I always use salted butter.
Yes. They stay soft for several days if kept in a well-covered container. The baked cookies can also be frozen.
I use a simple frosting that’s easy to mix together: 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.
Yes! These cookies are meant to be soft and chewy, not crisp like a traditional gingerbread cutout cookie.
I use unsulphured molasses. Blackstrap molasses usually has a darker appearance and a stronger flavor.
The recipe is correct – these cookies are egg-free.
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (159 g) 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 (170 g) butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup (248 g) unsulphured molasses (not black strap)
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- 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.
- Add the butter and mix at medium-low speed until the mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the molasses and milk, and mix on low speed until the dough is evenly combined, 30-45 seconds.
- 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.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Frost or pipe, as desired (see notes for the frosting recipe I use).
- Store the gingerbread cookies at room temperature or in the refrigerator in a covered container.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from The New Best Recipe Cookbook by ATK
Recipe originally posted December 2009; updated November 2021 with new photos, recipe updates, etc.
220 Comments on “Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies”
Amazing taste! Made these with my husband for Christmas and they’re a hit! 🙂 Thank you Mel!
These cookies are really wonderful and I will be sure to save the recipe for next year! Do be sure to leave the cookies on the cookie sheet until they cool a bit. I tried to take them off too soon and had some casualties!
My family has outgrown the butter rollout cookies. We have my grandmother’s cookie cutters (1920’s) and love using them. So, I made your gingerbread cutouts. We love them! Thank you for sharing the recipe and for the helpful tips regarding parchment paper and rolling out the dough. I left it in the paper layers overnight in the fridge. It saved a lot of time when it was time for baking. This is my new Christmas cutout cookie!
I was a little disappointed. While the texture was lovely, they were very bland. I would double the cinnamon and maybe add nutmeg.
Do they have to be rolled out with a rolling pin? Or can I just scoop dough into balls directly on the cookie sheet?
I haven’t tried that so I’m not entirely sure – sorry I’m not more help!
I tried it out and it worked great! I used half the door and rolled it and froze it and cut into shapes. The other half I didn’t roll out, and just scooped into balls and baked right away. They’re great!! I recommend eating them the next day after they’ve softened up in a Tupperware!
Okay, these are seriously the BEST gingerbread cookies! Every year I try multiple recipes trying to find just that perfect cookie. My search is over. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Great recipe, I added chopped candied ginger as well as fresh ginger . Definitely give it a try it turned out delicious!
Mel this is a family favorite!!! I make them several times during the holiday season. I’ve never frozen them. Do you bake them first then freeze?
Yes, I bake and then freeze.
Finally found the BEST Gingerbread Cookie recipe!!! My family made this recipe 2 years ago and Everyone absolutely loved them!! My adult children asked for these cookies again and rave about them! They are the most delicious, soft and chewy gingerbread cookies ever!! Thank you for this amazing gift:)
Hi, made one batch and they were delicious, no issues at all. Do you think the dough could be frozen for a few weeks then partially thawed, cut and baked? Thank you!
Definitely worth a try!
Hi, I have a question, is the butter salted or unsalted?
I use salted butter.
Hi, I have a question, do we have to put eggs for this gingerbread recipe?
Flavors were super strong and not a hit with the family
These cookies were delicious and remained soft for several days after Christmas.
Turn out great! Love chewy they are. Swapped out the milk products for dairy free alternative by using almond milk and earth balance sticks (lactose intolerant household). They held their shape and taste delicious.
Very delicious!! Everyone raved! Will make again!
Hi, this recipe looks great! I haven’t tried it yet, but wondering about adding 1 egg to it?
Hi Andrea – adding an egg to the dough will affect the outcome. I’d suggest making the recipe as written.
Wow! I’ve never been a fan of gingerbread cookies either, but my uncle sent a ninja gingerbread cookie kit for my kids and I didn’t want to use the box mix, so I tried this one instead and I think it’s going to become my new favorite holiday cookie recipe! Thank you! I love so many of your recipes and it’s my go-to website when looking for new ones to try. Merry Christmas!
The best Gingerbread recipe I have made by far. My husband and I can’t stop eating them and we haven’t even finished baking all of them. safe to say these will be in our seasonal rotation and will need to make an additional batch by Christmas
Thanks, Sam! Glad they were a hit!
Excited to try these…my son asks me to make gingerbread men cookies every year and I need a new recipe!
Can the dough sit in the fridge for longer than overnight…like 24 hours+?
I think so!
Thank you, Mel, for adding some much needed holiday joy to this household as we navigate newly discovered soy, egg and peanut allergies. This recipe is bulletproof and so easy. So soft, chewy and perfect. These probably won’t last past tomorrow, they are so good! We used a tiny bit less ginger and sprayed the parchment paper with baking spray to prevent sticking. Thank you!!!
Absolutely delicous!!! Gave some to my friends and they loved it so much!!!
Super yummy and soft! I was too impatient and lazy to roll them out and chill, so I scooped and pressed them with a glass like the Swig style cookies – it worked great!
Think I could use dark corn syrup instead of molasses?
You could definitely try – I haven’t tried that sub so I can’t say for sure. Corn syrup and molasses have some similarities but corn syrup is much sweeter and not as flavorful as molasses.
Cute and easy and delicious!! Love these!
I have a cookie cutter that also stamps a gingerbread imprint so to speak to you think the cookies will hold it’s shape enough to show the stamped design? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Ashley, I don’t know if these will hold the shape of the design very well – I think they may bake up a bit too soft for that.
These cookies are hands down the best gingerbread cookies I have ever eaten!!! They are addictively delicious!!! Store them in an air tight container and they last for several weeks on the counter.
This is the easiest gingerbread cookie I ever made. I used to dread making these because the dough is so sticky. Rolled out between the parchment paper and used the cookie cutter before freezing. When it was time to bake could just take the already cut out cookies off with a spatula and presto. Thank you for sharing this recipe!! Highly recommended
These are hands down the best gingerbread cookies I have ever had! They are our new Christmas tradition. Thanks!
We make these every year for Xmas and everyone loves them! Thanks, Mel!!
Have you ever tried to make these vegan?
I have not, I’m sorry! I’m guessing they would adapt quite well since they are already dairy-free. Using a butter substitute and non-dairy milk?
I used dairy free butter and coconut milk and they turned out great!
how would these be rolled in sugar then baked?
A delicious experiment! I haven’t tried them that way.
I’ve tried for years to find the perfect gingerbread cookies to make for cutout cookies. This recipe is IT! I followed it exactly except did heaping measurements of spices. Delicious!!
So can I just toss the mix into the refrigerator overnight or is it best to roll out first?
I find it is best to roll out first.
These are the best gingerbread cookies ever!! I trusted the process and they turned out great! It has the perfect amount of spice and chewiness to it!! 10/10 recommend making them!
Thank you for sharing! I doubled the ginger and cloves and added a teaspoon of black pepper-I like having a kick. I also used Bobs GF 1 to 1 flour. These are my new go to gingerbread!
These cookies are hands down the best gingerbread cookies I have ever eaten!!! They are addictively delicious!!!
ok – i was super excited to try this recipe – I rolled them out & froze them – when i tried to cut them out they stuck to the parchment & I couldn’t get them off! what did i do wrong!
I’m having this same issue right now.
Someone help!
I had the same problem and I used a little cooking spray on the parchment paper before I rolled the dough onto it. Definitely made a difference.
So you know how you take the patty of dough out and the top is sort if hard to peel off? The bottom is stuck the same way. I peeled the top, then put it back on and flipped it and peeled the bottom with my second batch and it solved the issue. Good luck! Mine came out perfect!
AMAZINGGG! I will definitely be using this recipe more often! Super easy to make! I totally recommend this recipe!
So good! Ran out of ginger and subbed with nutmeg but not the whole TBSP it called for. My family loved it and to make it easier, we just piped canned frosting onto the gingerbread men and snowflakes. Great family activity
These are my GO-TO cookies for the holidays! They never let me down! They are soft, chewy, and just the right amount of spice. Most people rethink gingerbread cookies when they taste these! They will not disappoint!
Salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted butter.
These cookies turned out amazing!!!!! I was hesitant when putting the crumbly batter onto the parchment paper but then it all came together when I just trusted and went with your instructions!
Fabulous, Fabulous cookies
What temperature should I preheat the oven to and bake the the gingerbread cookies in? I’m planning on baking this recipe for Christmas.
350
I never comment on online recipes but I have to say these cookies blew my mind. I’m even in a high altitude (barely above 5,000 ft) and these needed no adjustments. I carefully spooned the flour into the measuring cup and did not pack the flour tight because that isn’t the right way to do it. If your batter comes out crumbly and you can’t work it into a smooth ball then you used to much flour. I love that these have no egg so my little kids can sneak a bit when I’m not looking and I don’t have to worry. These really are amazing and i recommend decorating them with gum drops or spice drops and betty Crocker cookie icing. They will be so cute and so delicious.
What type of milk?
What type of flour?
I use all-purpose flour and cow’s milk (2%).
I’ve been indulging myself on soft ginger molasses cookies from a local bakery at an astounding $8+ for six / 250g. I’m happy to say these are just as good and a whole lot cheaper.
I rarely follow a recipe exactly but did in this case and produced 16 great cookies. I might tinker a little bit to get an extra kick of molasses as the depth of flavour and colour was a little lighter than the bakery version. Changing from fancy to black strap might be the way to go. I’m glad I stumbled on this recipe when I decided to have a shot at making my own. Thank you.
What is shelf life of gingerbread cookies ? I am planning to make it today and give this to someone next week. Wanted to make sure if it stays good for 2 to 3 weeks !!!
No, unfortunately, i don’t think they’ll stay fresh for that long unless you freeze them.
These were like heaven in my mouth. We had so much fun making and decorating these. Thank you!
These cookies are divine. I added 1 teaspoon of orange extract to push it over the top. Soft chewy and quite moreish.
So yummy! Love the soft, chewy texture. For those who may be wondering, I used all blackstrap molasses (didn’t reduce the amount the recipe called for) and they are delicious. I like a nice, spicy, warm gingerbread cookie and that’s exactly what I got. And for the record, my 9 and 5 year-olds gobbled them up, too. So don’t be afraid to join the dark side!!
Noticed that this recipe didn’t call for egg?
As per blog post: “And as a sidenote, the cookies are egg-free in case that happens to be an allergy you are working around.”
That’s exactly what I am trying to do…. find an egg-free cookie for my little friends whom I’m baking for. 🙂 I will also be using an egg-less royal icing to decorate them too!!
Help! I followed the recipe exactly, rolled the dough out between layers of parchment paper, froze for 20 minutes.. and now it’s completely stuck to the parchment paper. I can’t even make a circle with them, let alone use cookie cutters. What did I do wrong?
We made these for the Christmas holidays and they turned out great!! We didn’t have any molasses so we substituted honey, but the flavor was too overpowering so on the second batch we lowered it to 1/2 a cup. We also added a teaspoon of nutmeg.
Absolutely delicious, we’ll be making this again!!
Definitely NOT thick, i’m fact they’re very thin, but the flavor is seriously good.
Has any one tried this recipe using a dairy free butter and almond milk? I’m allergic to milk and eggs. I can make it as is, but was hoping to adapt so I can eat some .
In place of butter, use applesauce!
In place of butter, use applesauce!
Theses are my go-to for Christmas gingerbread men. I’m asked to make these every year!
We actually ran out of molasses while we were baking these! We ended up with about 1/4 cup molasses, so we decided to fill in the other 2/4 with pure maple syrup, and it actually tasted really good! So, if you’re feeling like these have too much molasses or you totally ran out, try using 100% pure maple syrup.
I have tried many, many gingerbread men recipes over the past few years. I have had some serious issues with prior recipes and this is by far THE BEST…not too much flour, not too sticky to work with when properly chilled, and good spicy, gingery flavor. We bake the cookies a couple of minutes longer for my son who likes them crispier and keep to the recommended bake time for my daughter who prefers a softer cookie man. Thanks Mel!
H-E-A-V-E-N. (if it was a food)
This is my very first time baking (and eating) gingerbread cookies (they are not common in our country, but I have always wanted to make them since they looked so delicious in American movies) and I have to say that we all loved them (specially my dad, who is not into baked goods). Thank you!
I used maple syrup instead of dark molasses and 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead of baking soda and they turned out a little like butter cookies, which was perfect for us.
These were amazing!! So so easy. And delicious. I searched tons of recipes looking for a soft, thick, chewy cookie, similar to the perfect sugar cookie. THIS IS IT! first off it was so easy to make and refrigerate over night. I made it exactly like the recipe. Didn’t change a thing. Everyone loved them. They were great the day after baking as well, I put a simple cookie icing on top and really went well together. Will be making again and now my go to Gingerbread recipe.
These are really not good. I have been baking gingerbread cookies for many years and these taste like total molasses! Followed the recipe to a tee. I dont like giving bad reviews but this is a waste of ingredients.
No egg?
No egg is the BEST part! These are the BEST gingerbread cookies. No need to try another single recipe ever again. I love them and my kids agree. The BEST gingerbread recipe. They are actually shocked to eat the hard ones at the store and have commented that Mel’s are waaaayyyy better! So excited to make them again this year.
Just took them out of the oven wow. Absolutely the best gingerbread cookie I have ever eaten. I can’t wait for my grandkids to decorate them on Christmas Eve. I really did not know that there was such a thing as a soft gingerbread cookie. Thank you for expanding my world
I followed the directions exactly, and as the recipe suggests… These cookies were quite chewy, which is great. The only problem is that they taste way too strong of molasses as I used a dark molasses. I would no longer called them gingerbread cookies, but molasses cookies. I would use the recipe again, but would maybe use light molasses?
When taking out the oven.. are they suppose to be extremely soft?
Yes, they are soft cookies.
Can I make a giant gingerbread cookie with this recipe? If so, are there any adjustments? I will be using the giant cookie pan made by Wilton.
Thanks Sherrie
I’ve never tried that but you could definitely experiment! If the dough is thicker than the cookies pictured in the post, you’ll want to adjust the baking time. Good luck!
Can this dough be frozen after rolled and cut the next day?
It’ll probably need to thaw just a bit out of the freezer to cut, but yes, you could freeze it after rolling.
Um…these are totally delicious. Soft and flavorful. I just pulled them out of the oven (yes a pre dinner snack) and I can’t stop eating them. So good!
Best. Gingerbread. Ever. I have been bringing various desserts to my VERY picky parents (now 87 and 84 respectively) for literally years. And they always found something wrong with them, they were never quite right (“too sweet,” “not tart enough,” “too dense,” “too moist” etc). There was the apple crisp year. There was the chocolate chip cookie year. And the final nail in the coffin (so to speak) was the lemon pound cake year. I gave up trying. And then, this year, came these gingerbread cookies. I originally made them for my daughter (who helped me roll out the dough and did the decoration- a simply white Royal Icing), who intensely dislikes thin and crispy cookies of any kind. She went crazy over these. So, on a flyer, I took them to my folks. And they loved them. My mother said they are “one of my best desserts ever.” She is eating them for breakfast, and for dessert. THANK YOU, Mel! This recipe means more to me than you can possibly know.
So happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know!
These were amazing! I made them for Christmas with my littles. After reading reviews I cut back the ginger just a bit and made sure they were rolled out quite thick so they would hold their shapes. I didn’t add icing but they were still the first of all the cookies to go. Will make again next year for sure!
I just made the batter for these. The butter is not well incorporated and I had to add at least 3 times the amount of milk to even get it to combine. Any ideas what went wrong?
I’m not sure, Justine – any chance the dough was overfloured?
Mel,
Will you please share the frosting recipe you use for these cookies?
I usually use the royal icing recipe from the meringue powder can or this simple vanilla frosting.
http://melkitchencafe.com/perfect-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/
Just make these, love the dough, but OMG WAY too much ginger. Will use this batch to decorate and hang on the tree as these cookies are too hot for children to eat and will make a new batch with 1 tsp ginger versus 2 Tablespoons.
Well, maybe if you READ the recipe correctly, you wouldn’t have had an issue, as it says 1 Tablespoon of Ginger, NOT 2.
Well, maybe if you READ the recipe correctly, you wouldn’t have had an issue, as it says 1 Tablespoon of Ginger, NOT 2.
Hello. Can you use blackstrap molasses in these? Should I reduce the amount? They look great!
I’m not sure, Chris – but it’s worth experimenting! If it were me, yes, I’d probably reduce the amount
I only ever use blackstrap, without adjusting the amount, and they’re rich+delicious. The dough is sticky and I’m religious about freezing before, during , and after cutting them out. But I can endorse blackstrap, for sure!
These were terrific. Only change I made was adding vanilla. They were chewy as described and really tasty. My kids really enjoyed these, but next time we make these we might reduce the spices just a smidge to suit our tastes. We did decorate ours with frosting, but they truly didn’t need to be iced. They are so delicious on their own. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. We had fun making and eating these.
I’m making these right now! The dough is rolled out and chilling in the freezer. I tasted what was left in the bowl and on my paddle attachment and it is AMAZING!! And it’s eggless so I don’t have to worry about sickness! (Who am I kidding … Eggs have never stopped me from eating raw dough … )
It’s the flour not the eggs that can cause sickness
Can anybody tell me how many dozen of cookies this makes.
The yield is above the recipe title – it makes about 2 dozen.
For me, it made about 5 dozen cookies! I made a dozen 6″ gingerbread men, and the rest with assorted 2-3″ cutters. Instead of icing, I placed cinnamon imperials for the eyes and one in the middle of the rest. Rolling the dough out and placing it in the refrig overnight, made them very easy to work with. Delicious!
So after reading some of these comments, people are saying the shape hold for them. I agree, they didn’t for me at first even after refrigeration. What I did was rolled out the dough, and used cookie cutters of my choice, layed them on a cookie sheet, then I refrigeratated them for a few hours. I then popped them in the oven straight of of the fridge and they held their shape!!! Even the intricate cookie shapes was no problem for this dough. Thank you for the amazing recipe!!!!
These cookies are the BEST gingerbread cookie I have ever eaten. I had a tried and true recipe, but lost it. Found you online, and am delighted with the result. My grandchildren will love decorating them and eating them! Now, when I am looking for a new recipe, I will trust you to have tested many recipes and identified the best one. So, no more testing for me – just trusting you!
So happy they worked out! Thanks for letting me know!
Hi! I am Addison, and I am 11 years old and I love to bake. I have always used your recipes and these gingerbread cookies are one of my all time favorites. I am going to give some of these cookies to my teacher. I also love your chocolate kiss blossom cookie. Your amazing! THANKS!!!!!
You are amazing, Addison! Thank you for commenting!
These cookies are fantastic!! 100% my go-to gingerbread recipe! My only comment would be to make absolutely sure you put in enough salt! The salt is what brings out the spices in the cookie and I forgot to add it one time when I made this recipe and it made it taste really bland!
This recipe has been my go to gingerbread cookie for several years now….I love these cookies SO MUCH. I literally think about them all year! My youngest daughter has a dairy intolerance and I was wondering if you or anyone else has had any success making these with a non dairy butter or a substitute?
I haven’t tried a non-dairy sub – sorry, Rachel!
I just made a batch using butter Cisco and they’re PERFECT…maybe even a bit softer and chewier today than next day with the regular butter recipe 🙂
Absolutely delicious and yes very chewy, this is forever my goto cookie
Made these last year and loved it!! I used unsalted butter last time, but wanted to check if you use unsalted or salted? Your sugar cookie recipe uses salted, so I was just curious if this one would turn out better using salted too. Thanks!
I always use salted butter.
I absolutely love this recipe! It was quick and easy and my grandson really enjoyed the cookies!
All of Mel’s cookie recipes are my GO TO! I can even make them vegan/gluten free for all of my friends. These are delicious and I will never use a different recipe for gingerbread.
this was awful…. i ended up having to use an egg… and way more milk… and still it was gross and grainy. NOT a fan. will not be making this again
This recipe was the answer to my Christmas! I only like gingerbread if it is soft and chewy but never found one that turned out right. This was so easy and turned out perfectly! I did chill the dough in plastic wrap in the fridge overnight. We cut out reindeer and piped their red noses.
YUM! I made these without refined sugar by subbing date syrup for the brown sugar. That made the dough pretty sticky so omitted the milk and added about 1/3 cup more flour. The keys for me for getting them super soft was rolling out thick like you said and NOT over baking. I found 5-7 minutes to be ideal, depending on the temp of the dough and the cookie sheet. Thank you for your recipes, they are always great!
I am going to make these, I’m a little confused about the rolling out and refrigerating? However we have a bakery here in Salt Lake City that dips the bottom half in milk chocolate… I am so going to do that with these. Thank you for sharing!
These are the best! My daughter has made several batches now and they stay chewy and moist! They held their shape perfectly and you can really taste the spices! We will never need another gingerbread recipe! Thank you!
Is it possible to put a picture on this comment site?
Hi Carol – so glad you and your daughter love this recipe! There isn’t a way to add a picture here…sorry about that!
These rolled out well and came out soft, but they tasted VERY salty. I’ll continue my search…
They taste good, but didn’t hold there shape from the cookie cutter, won’t be making them again
Mel these were life changing. I don’t even like gingerbread or so I thought. I ate five. Yes five. Our elderly friend mother of seven loves them too. Score! And now I have to try all the other gingerbread recipes on here.
I am obsessed with the flavor of these cookies but unfortunately they spread too much for what I need them for. I have tried to play around with the recipe so it won’t spread, but so far no luck. Any ideas? I need cookies with crisp edges for decorating. Thanks!
These might not be the right cookie, I’m afraid – they are meant to be soft and chewy, not crisp like a traditional gingerbread cutout cookie.
I made these today and dipped half of each cookie in chocolate. This has made a great holiday treat! I love the flavor. Thanks!
I just posted the same thing! I’m going to dip them in chocolate as well!
Best gingerbread recipe I’ve tried yet, and I’ve tried quite a few. Thick, moist and chewy, like I remember as a little girl. These are my favorite Christmas cookies. THANK YOU!!!!
This recipe is magic!!! Thank you. We were able to yield almost 40 cookies (cut them into circles with a biscuit cutter instead of gingerbread men), and we served them right out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream… HEAVEN on a plate Mmmmm we’ll be dreaming about these all Christmas…
Just finished these cookies for Christmas and they were such a hit!! I will definitely be saving this recipe for next year. The cookies were perfect for me because I prefer them to be a little softer and slightly chewy…these came out perfect!!
I tried both your recipe and the King Arthur Flour recipe this year for gingerbread men. I found them similar in taste and texture (which I loved both!) but your method for rolling out and chilling the dough was the hands down winner! Rolling between parchment while the dough is still soft, and then freezing the rolled out dough before cutting out the cookies worked great. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
This recipe is GOLD!!! Gingerbread cookie *dough* is my favorite thing about cookies, ever. But the cookies always dissapoint. At last, here’s a recipe where the cookie tastes better than the best dough. It’s perfectly assembled — and the caution against overbaking is very important. Thank you for changing my holiday baking forever!
These cookies were a heartbreaker for me. So many folks seem to have had success with them, but mine came out of the freezer so stuck to the wax paper that I had to throw the whole batch away. I tried letting get softer, letting them get harder, no matter what they were just tragically stuck. By the end there were pieces of wax paper all through the dough so it wasn’t salvageable. I’m not a terrible baker, and followed the recipe so I’m not sure what happened here.
Sorry these didn’t work out for you, Kelsey. Any chance your dough needed a bit more flour?
Just a thought in case it helps…I had a similar problem last year when I made these, but I was able to determine it was the wax paper. When I used parchment paper instead, there was no sticking! Maybe some brands of wax paper don’t work as well.
These sound great! I am wondering if subbing coconut oil for the butter would work. What do you think?
I haven’t tried that, Lisa, so I’m not sure but usually coconut oil subs pretty well for butter in cookies so I’d say it’s worth a try.
Ok. I’ll give it a try and report back. 🙂
First eggless cookie recipe that i can truly say you do not miss the egg! Very flavourful, perfectly chewy and soft…so good! I followed the directions to a T and got perfect results. I added white chocolate chips and it went well. Thank you for posting this recipe.
I made these with my 2 kids and they were a huge hit! My son has an egg allergy, and I can’t thank you enough for something he can decorate that is also delicious! And these are just plain Delicious! We made not only gingerbread men, but also snowmen, trees, and snowflakes. The entire batch was gone in 3 days, my husband is requesting more this weekend, he says it’s he best cookie we’ve ever made.
3 cups is 24 oz.
3/4 cup is 6 oz.
That’s true if you are including ounces for the volume, but the ounces I’m including in the recipe is for weight.
Do you happen to know if these freeze well after being baked? Thanks!
Hi Jordan – I’ve never frozen these but I suspect they would freeze just fine.
These cookies. I have no words. They’re amazing! So good in fact, I must have missed the memo that gingerbread is only for Xmas (cause I just baked another batch the other night). And can I tell you a secret? When my husband and kids aren’t looking, I totally sandwich vanilla ice cream between two cookies. Whoa. If they knew what mom was doing those cookies would be gone in a heartbeat!
As always, thanks so much from Canada!
Sonya 🙂
Sonya – you sound like me; known to do crazy things like putting ice cream in between two cookies when no one is looking. 🙂 Glad you loved these!
As I started making these my husband (aka Cookie Monster) said ‘just so you know I’m not a huge fan of gingerbread’- well after they came out of the oven he had a change if heart, ‘you can make those again anytime!’ So they have all been devoured and I’m doubling it for the Christmas batch! Thanks for the recipe.
Suzanne, I too was worried about so much molasses, and about so much spice. This was my first gingerbread making experience, but I could not be happier with the result! Not too strong flavored, good and chewy. Great recipe, Melanie!
The bottle doesn’t say blackstrap molasses, it just says Wholesome Sweeteners organic molasses unsulphured.
Thats the kind i used and its actually made with blackstrap molasses. It says it in the ingredient list.
Hi Mel! I’m wondering if my particular type/brand of molasses is extra strong b/c I made the same chewy gingersnaps my sister made and hers turned out much lighter in color and less molasses tasting. Accordingly, I’m worried about using the full amount of molasses in these cookies, but really want to try them, do you know if it would affect the cookies much if I dialed back the amount of molasses and if I should add something in it’s place?
Suzanne – are you using blackstrap molasses? That kind will definitely have a darker appearance and much stronger flavor. I usually use plain old unsulphured molasses.
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I have been trying to find the perfect soft gingerbread recipe. It’s our family tradition to gather around and decorate gingerbread men. Ill let you know how they turn out. I usually use Grandma’s brand molasses is this ok?
That’s the same brand I use!
Hi Mel! I tried these today and I don’t think they were cold enough. I’m going to try them again tomorrow. Do you have a recipe for your simple white icing? Thanks! Laura
Hi Laura – I just mix powdered sugar with a bit of milk until it is thick but still able to pipe out of the corner of a ziploc bag without running all over the place. Sometimes I add a touch of vanilla, too.
Just wanted to say thanks for posting both your gingerbread recipes! My daughter has an egg allergy, so we’re always on the look out for new yummy Christmas treats to make. I’m sure they’ll become family favorites along with your other great recipes that I’ve tried!
I absolutely love these cookies. I make them every christmas to put in my gift baskets.
They are the perfect gingerbread cookie!
I just wanted to say how much I appreciate this recipe, I made them for the first time almost a year ago. Before I made these, I never had any luck making rolled cookies. But these are phenomenal, my children love them and I have been making them all year (it seems in our house gingerbread men are just as delicious in July!). I am making another batch today. Just recently I started doing before and after school childcare for a fellow mom I know and there has been a little tension in this busy house! Gingerbread men to the rescue (and to put a smile on four little faces)
You may have ended my search for an egg-less gingerbread cookie recipe. I have fond memories of cooking class in junior high school making an egg-less dough….then taste testing it before baking. I only wish I had made digital copies of all the recipes I got from my teacher Miss Munzer. I am still on the search for the clover rolls recipe. They were so good!! Now have to search for molasses in Japan.
We wanted to make these for an evening treat, and I was not about to leave them in the fridge overnight, so I’m glad to know the freezer trick. I wonder if that would work for sugar cookies. ? These are super yummy straight out of the oven and good cold too. My father-in-law loves gingerbread; I think I might move up to favorite d-i-l status if I make these for Christmas!
Made these last night with my granddaughter and daughter. They turned out soo good.. I rolled them out a little thicker and put the dough in the frig overnight rolled out between the parchment paper. LOVE THIS!!!
Stacy – I’ve never tried them that way but it’s worth an attempt. I don’t know how they’ll spread/flatten as they bake so I’d start with smaller-sized dough balls.
My family loves the hard crispy Peparkakor gingerbread men, I love a chewy cookie but don’t want to go the effort of making another cutout, could you just roll this dough into balls, maybe then in some sugar and bake? Would they turn out the same?
Hmmm…made these cookies 2 days ago….they were gone by that night (hey, I didn’t eat them ALL…I have four growing boys in this house!)….so I’m making more today…except it will be a double batch!! My husband can’t stop talking about them, and he’s like me, could care less about gingerbread before!! They ARE that amazing!! 🙂
Thanks Mel!!
Best eaten within one week – are you kidding me? These will certainly disappear the minutes they hit the serving plate! Can’t wait to make them….
These cookies are fabulous!! I’m not a gingerbread fan…NORMALLY….but these, well, I ate three before they were even decorated!! My 11 yr old is decorating them as I write this…and I’m enjoying a cup of hot tea, eating ANOTHER cookie, and relaxing!! Thanks Mel!!!
Tristan – I do, actually! We make these gingerbread sleds every year and the dough is great for gingerbread houses:
http://www.melkitchencafe.com/2007/12/gingerbread-sleds.html
Mel,
Do you have a recipe for gingerbread house-worthy cookie dough? My daughter needs to make one for school and I would much rather log some quality kitchen time then buy something pre-made! Thanks so much for any help- Tristan
I made a big batch of this dough a few days ago and froze it in the rolled out sheets like you suggested and then covered the whole tray in seran wrap so it would stay fresh through the week. Worked like a charm. The cookies were baked today and they are OH SO TASTY! I’d definitely err on the thicker side when rolling out the dough to make it easier to cut and transfer to the tray. I also would only bake mine for about 7 minutes.
And yes, I’m making gingerbread men cookies in September… they are for my kids Candy Land birthday party this coming weekend and of course, we had to have gingerbread men to decorate! 🙂 Thanks for another great go-to recipe!
Okay, so I made these and they were a hit! Wowzers, they blew my socks off. I love that they were so soft and not too spicy. Best recipe for gingerbread ever!!!! Thanks!
Andrea – high praise! I’m so glad you loved these!
I’ve made the dough and am going to bake these with my girlfriends tomorrow morning! Yay for Christmas and yay for delicious gingerbread men recipes posted by Melanie! Merry Christmas!!
Sara – I love this idea of sandwiching the cookies together! Thanks for letting me know that you liked this recipe.
Ruby – oat flour? Wonderful idea. Thank you for letting me know you liked these!
Just an FYI, I used gluten free oat flour for the all purpose and it worked very very well. No gums or other weird ingredients. No one could tell they were gluten free. I did weigh my flour and use potato starch for rolling. Great recipe for those gluten free!
That’s awesome! Thanks for the update!
I made these and substituted 1/4 cup flour for oat flour and they turned out soooo chewey. Thanks for the recipe!
Karin – I’m so glad these cookies were a hit. Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m glad they turned out perfectly.
Just wanted to let you know that I tried these and they were delicious. I am never happy with how my cookies turn out-it’s very sad. These were easy to work with and turn out perfect.
I think I’m going to try making these later, mine came out hard and crunchy. I like chewy cookies better so I can’t wait to give these a try.
Definitely coming back to look at more cookie recipes later.
thanks
Email from my Aunt Marilyn:…..loved the ginger bread cookies! of course I had to make them in the last 30 minutes I had left before I had to be out the door. They were delicious.
Kandi V – I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you. If you haven’t thrown away the dough yet, just freeze or refrigerate again. My guess is that the dough wasn’t cold enough to cut the dough. If you refrigerated the dough, try freezing it next time. The dough needs to be quite firm to cut out into shapes. Good luck!
I was excited to make these, and my kids were excited to eat them. So imagine my dissappointment when I pulled them out of the fridge and they were too soft to be cut! They fell apart as I slid my spatula underneath to lift them! We are bummed! Any ides on what happened? Thanks!
Don’t you just love gingerbread cutouts. I think of all the Christmas cookies, this is one that defines the season. They are adorable!
Leslie, you are correct, there are no eggs.
Pat – haha, very funny!
Jenni and Christian – these cookies are definitely too soft for gingerbread houses. If you want a fantastic recipe for gingerbread houses (or sleds like we make in our house), email me at mykitchencafe at gmail dot com and I’ll send you my tried-and-true recipe.
This looks delicious. I have discovered the joys of ginger in cookies and cakes.
I am so excited! I lost my old recipe that I loved and have been sad that other recipes were not so great. Am I reading it right that there are no eggs?
I want to make gender-neutral gingerpeople cookies for the local ACLU holiday party. These will be great! I don’t suppose you have a recipe for feminist frosting?
would these be good in shapes to make gingerbread houses too.. or are they too soft for that?
Wow–I needed this recipe!! The gingerbread I have tried in the past has been dissapointing! Fun–I love your sugar rush! Merry Christmas Mel!
I had this bookmarked in my cookbook at home for when my nephew comes over to make gingerbread men. Looks delicious!
Oh Sugar Rush! Bring it on, baby! These Sound wonderful. I’m with you on the hard crunchy cookies, not for me. I’m taking dinner to a friend tonight, this just might be the treat!
I love gingerbread men and decorating them. Mine always turn out too hard. I’ll have to try these! They look sooo good!
These sound divine! I have all the ingredients…sounds like a good afternoon kid activity!
i always eat the limbs first, then the head, then the body, unless the head has the most glaze, and then i save it for last. 🙂
Mmm, gingerbread cookies are one of my favorite Christmas cookies because that’s the only time I make them!
These will be perfect for my kids to decorate and take to their friends. I was going to have them take sugar cookies, but these are much more fun. I agree, a soft and chewy gingerbread cookie is the only way to go. I can’t wait for the next eleven recipes. -Liz K.
Sounds like a winner to me!
I also really enjoy soft cookies, so I´m sure this recipe would be perfect. Unfortunately, I can´t head straight to my pantry to bake these up, as I do not have molasses around (yet!), but this recipe is going directly to my files. Thanks for sharing.