Enjoy the sweet outer crunch and soft chewy center of these beautifully spiced gingerbread cookies. Made with my homemade gingerbread spice blend they’re the perfect cookie for this holiday season.

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How to make Soft Gingerbread Cookies

Chewy gingerbread cookies are my favorite, so bold in that dark molasses and spicey flavors. I don’t often use any decoration on these, but they would be just as delicious with a gingerbread spice glaze drizzled on top.

Gathering your ingredients

All-purpose flour – Your favorite all-purpose flour brand should work well here. I will recommend making sure to sift the dry ingredients to prevent unwanted lumps or particles. If you have a kitchen scale, measuring your flour first will ensure a more accurate amount rather than just scooping it out. Scooping it out tends to result in too much flour.

If you don’t have a scale, take a fork and fluff up your flour, then using a spoon gently scoop the flour out into your measuring cup, and use a butter knife to level it off. This is the best way to accurately measure flour without a kitchen scale.

Baking Soda

Gingerbread Spice – Gingerbread spice is a tasty mix of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and clove.

Sea salt – Helps to add flavor and balance the sweetness.

Unsalted butter – Softened to room temperature, set out 30 minutes before making your cookies.

Brown sugar – I’m all for a little extra flavor, so I tend to mix my light and brown sugar together. One large package of light and one small package of dark brown sugar.

Egg – Room temperature egg, take out when softening your butter.

Cold brewed coffee – Have any leftover coffee in the pot? I know I do, always. Don’t let it go to waste.

Molasses – I love this brand, always tasty and never lets me down. Use dark, unsulphured molasses, don’t use blackstrap.

White granulated sugar (separated)

*see recipe card for detailed measurements

Kitchen supplies you’ll need

Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Cookie sheet
Parchment Paper

Mix it, Bake it, & Eat it!

In a medium bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, gingerbread spice, and sea salt.
In another mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, and white and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add in the egg, cold coffee, and molasses. Blend together until combined.
Add the flour ½ at a time until fully incorporated.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven and line a couple of large baking sheets with parchment paper once your dough has chilled.
Roll the gingerbread dough into small balls and gently roll it into the bowl of sugar and place it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan.

dry ingredients added to the cookie doughs glass mixing bowl

What to do with Soft Gingerbread Cookies

Skip the sugar – It isn’t necessary to roll your Gingerbread Cookies in sugar before baking, purely preference.

Icing – Use my Gingerbread spice to make a sweet icing to drizzle on top or dip your cookies in.

Give as a gift – Wrap up and give as a gift at your next holiday party.

Use as a topping! – Yep, I’m once again suggesting you crumble your cookies on top of your favorite ice cream. You’re welcome!

Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare gingerbread cookies ahead of time?

Yes! I love doing this. You can either bake them up to 2 weeks ahead of time and keep them stored in an airtight container or freeze them. Another option would be to prepare your cookie dough up until the point of baking. Then place them in the freezer to harden, then store them in a Ziploc in the freezer until ready to bake. You can bake them from frozen when you need them.

a stack of gingerbread cookies on parchment with a cup of milk

Tips for Making, Eating, & Storing

Tips

Don’t overmix: Overmixing will result in a tougher cookie, we want our gingerbread cookie recipe to turn out soft and chewy.

Chill your dough: If your cookie dough is chilled, rolling it into balls will be a lot easier. Chill for 30 minutes at least.

Storing

Store your Gingerbread cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I like to store mine in a clear glass cookie jar on the countertop. The kiddos love this. The cookies are most flavorful if eaten within the first week.

Freezing: Prepare your cookie dough up until you’re supposed to bake. Instead, lay them on a tray and freeze them for an hour. After that, place them in a Ziploc bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Bake from frozen: Pull out of the freezer while your oven is preheating then bake for 12 – 14 minutes.

Tools I use

Cookie scoop

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Measuring spoons

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Molasses

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Close up of a stack of gingerbread cookies

Soft & Easy Gingerbread Cookies

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Enjoy the sweet outer crunch and soft chewy center of these beautifully spiced gingerbread cookies. Made with my homemade gingerbread spice blend they’re the perfect cookie for this holiday season.

Total Time: 19 minute
Yield: 36 Cookies

Instructions

In a medium bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, gingerbread spice, and sea salt.
In another mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, and white and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add in the egg, cold coffee, and molasses. Blend together until combined.
Add the flour ½ at a time until fully incorporated.
Cover and chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350F and line a couple of large baking sheets with parchment paper once your dough has chilled.
Roll the gingerbread dough into small balls and gently roll it into the bowl of sugar and place it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan.