Description
Soft in the center, crisp on the edges, and full of cozy spices—these are the best gingerbread cookies you’ll ever bake. Perfect for holiday decorating, gifting, and snacking!
Ingredients
3 ½ cups (440g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
⅔ cup (160ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional: royal icing, easy cookie icing, or cookie buttercream
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
In another bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add brown sugar and molasses; beat until fluffy.
Mix in egg and vanilla.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Dough will be thick and sticky.
Divide into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
Roll dough to ¼-inch thick. Cut into shapes and place on baking sheets 1 inch apart.
Bake for 9–10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on tray, then transfer to a wire rack.
Decorate once fully cooled.
Notes
Dough freezes well for up to 3 months.
For softer cookies, don’t overbake.
Add orange zest or dip in chocolate for fun variations.
Not suitable for gingerbread houses—use a sturdier dough for building.
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 135
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 15mg