Description
These Best Soft Gingerbread Cookies are thick, soft, and deeply flavored with classic holiday spices. Made with molasses and warm spices, these cookies boast a perfect tender texture and can be decorated with royal icing or powdered sugar for a festive touch. The dough is easy to roll and cut out, making these cookies an ideal treat for holiday baking and sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature (preferably salted)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses (do NOT use blackstrap)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed (390 grams)
- 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Royal Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
- 4-6 tbsp water
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: Beat the softened butter in a large mixing bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the light brown sugar and continue beating until well combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the molasses thoroughly. Gradually add the dry ingredients—flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt—and mix until the dough comes together. If the dough feels crumbly, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk to help it bind.
- Roll and Chill: Divide dough into two equal parts. Roll each portion out between two sheets of parchment paper to about 3/8 inch thickness (between 1/4 and 1/2 inch). Place the rolled dough on a baking sheet, still between parchment sheets, cover loosely with a kitchen towel, and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or in the freezer for a shorter time until firm.
- Cut out Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Cut shapes from the chilled dough and place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. If dough softens during cutting, re-chill cookies for 5-15 minutes to ensure they hold their shape during baking. Use dough scraps by re-rolling and repeating the chilling and cutting process.
- Bake: Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes until just set and slightly puffy. The centers may look slightly underbaked, but don’t overbake to maintain softness. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate: Dip cooled cookies in glaze, dust with powdered sugar, or pipe royal icing. To make royal icing, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water in a large bowl and beat on high for about 1 1/2 minutes. Adjust consistency by adding water or powdered sugar as needed. Pipe designs with a pastry bag fitted with a #1 tip. Optionally, sprinkle sanding sugar onto wet icing for sparkle.
- Serve and Store: Let decorated cookies set completely before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-6 days or refrigerate for 6-8 days. Bring refrigerated cookies to room temperature before serving.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Dough can be rolled and stored covered in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking. Baked cookies can be stored airtight at room temperature for 1-2 days before decorating. Royal icing can be made and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days and re-mixed before use.
Notes
- These gingerbread cookies are thicker and softer than traditional crunchy gingerbread.
- The dough is easy to roll out between parchment paper sheets, preventing sticking.
- You can make these cookies vegan by substituting the butter and using vegan-friendly meringue powder or alternative icing.
- For the best flavor, use light molasses rather than blackstrap molasses.
- Don’t underbake or overbake; the cookies will look slightly underdone in the center when done.
- Decorating with royal icing adds beautiful detail and texture, but powdered sugar or simple glaze works well too.
- These cookies store well and maintain their soft texture when kept airtight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 330 kcal
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 207 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
