Soft Gingerbread Cookies (Perfect for Decorating)
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These soft gingerbread cookies are full of warm holiday spices, perfectly chewy in the center, and lightly crisp around the edges. They’re so fun to decorate and make the best festive treat for cookie swaps or family baking days!
There’s something magical about the smell of freshly baked gingerbread cookies filling the kitchen. These are soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
I already have cozy favorites like gingersnap cookies and molasses cookies, but this one’s extra special because Olivia helped cut out her favorite shapes, especially the gingerbread men! They’re festive, fun, and guaranteed to bring holiday joy to your kitchen.
“Loved these! And so did everyone at my Christmas party. Super easy to make and came out perfect! Not to sweet, but just sweet enough… Was also impressed by the frosting consistency!!! Definitely adding this to my recipe collection.”
Why I Love This Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Before you grab the cookie cutters, here’s why this recipe’s a keeper:
- Soft and chewy – The perfect texture combo with crisp edges and tender centers.
- Perfect for decorating – The dough holds its shape beautifully, so your cookie cutters really shine.
- Warm holiday flavor – Packed with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves for that nostalgic gingerbread taste.
- Make-ahead friendly – Chill the dough overnight so you can bake and decorate when you’re ready.
Ingredients Needed
- all-purpose flour – forms the base of the cookies, giving them that perfect soft texture.
- spices – ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. The ultimate blend of cozy spices that make gingerbread so delicious.
- unsalted butter – softened for a rich, tender crumb.
- dark brown sugar – adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with the spices.
- unsulphured molasses – the star ingredient that gives these cookies their classic gingerbread flavor.
- egg – helps bind everything together and gives the cookies a little richness.
- icing – we’re using powdered sugar, almond milk (or any milk of choice), and a splash of vanilla to create a simple, sweet icing for decorating the cookies. Perfect for adding a festive touch!
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Dairy-free: If you need these cookies to be dairy-free, try using softened (not melted) coconut oil, or a dairy-free butter. I find that plant-based butters like Miyoko’s work well in baking.
- Gluten-free: If you need to make these gingerbread cookies gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill. I haven’t tried this version yet, so if you do I’d love to hear how it goes in the comments!
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients and set aside.
Step 2: In a stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar together until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: With the mixer on low, or with a whisk, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
Step 4: Divide the dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 5: Let the dough soften a bit, then roll it out on a floured surface to 1/4-1/3 inch thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters and place on baking sheets.
Step 6: Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set.
Step 7: While the cookies are baking make your icing.
Step 8: Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired!
Brittany’s Tips!
- Chill the dough: Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours (or even overnight) makes it easier to roll out and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking. It’s tempting to skip, but it makes a big difference!
- Flour your rolling surface: To prevent the dough from sticking, lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin. If the dough starts to stick, sprinkle on a little more flour as needed.
- Decorate only when completely cool: Let the cookies cool fully before icing. If they’re even a little warm, the icing will slide off, so be patient for the best results.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Keep your gingerbread cookies fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two!
- Freezer: Want to save some for later? Freeze the cookies (without icing) in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Just thaw them at room temp and decorate once they’re ready to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can make the dough up to two days in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready, just roll, cut, and bake as usual.
Lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin, or roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. A little flour goes a long way to keep things mess-free.
For soft cookies, roll the dough a bit thicker (about 1/4 inch) and avoid overbaking. Storing them in an airtight container will also help keep that perfect texture.
To thicken the icing, add a little extra powdered sugar. If you need it thinner, just add a few drops of almond milk (or any milk you like) until it’s just right for decorating.
More Holiday Cookies You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon milk of choice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and brown sugar.
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in molasses, egg and vanilla until combined.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
- Divide the dough into 2 circular disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When dough is chilled and you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove dough from fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly. On a clean rolling surface (or a parchment lined surface) sprinkle flour on the surface and rolling pin. Roll out dough, using a rolling pin, until it’s about 1/4-1/3″ thick. The thicker your cookies are the softer they’ll be.
- Use your a gingerbread man or your favorite cookie cutter shape cut out the dough and place them about 1 inch apart on your cookie sheet. Gather and re-roll the dough scraps as many times as needed until all the dough is used. Add additional flour to the surface and rolling pin as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set, but the center is still soft. The bake time will vary based on how thick your cookies are, the size of your cookie cutters how soft or crunchy you want your cookies. I prefer my gingerbread cookies to be more the crispy side.
- Allow cookies to cool a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cookies are cool you can frost and decorate them as desired. To make homemade icing, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and almond milk in a small bowl. Whisk until all lumps of sugar have dissolved and icing is the thickness you desire. You don’t want it to be super thick, but also don’t want it to be too runny where it melts off the cookies.
Notes
- Storage: Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- For decorating: I like using disposable piping bags or a decorating pen for easy, clean icing lines.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Hi! What do you use for decorating? Do you have a link? like how do you get the icing so pretty on the cookies?
Hi Nicole – These disposable piping bags work really well, or you can use a decorating pen for easy details. Both make it super easy to get those clean icing lines once the cookies are cooled.
Loved these! And so did everyone at my Christmas party. Super easy to make and came out perfect! Not to sweet, but just sweet enough. I like my cookies on the softer chewier side. So I did my cut outs at 1/4 inch thick just as recommended. Was also impressed by the frosting consistency!!! Definitely adding this to my recipe collection 🙂
Yay! So glad you loved these cookies, Kaley. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Good cookies!
So glad you enjoyed these cookies, Kaitlin! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it.