These soft Gingerbread Cookies get more compliments than any other cookie recipes I have ever made. Even people who say they don’t like gingersnaps end up loving these easy homemade cookies!
No exaggerating, every time I make these gingerbread cookies, people go crazy for them. The responses are always the same. “These are the best ginger cookies I’ve ever had.” “I didn’t even know I liked gingersnap cookies until now.” “You have to give me this gingerbread cookie recipe.”
Hands down, these are the best gingerbread cookies that I, and most of my friends and family, have ever tasted. Truth be told I’ve never been a big fan of gingerbread. My feelings on gingerbread and ginger cookies have always been lukewarm at best.
Often in the past ginger bread cookies didn’t even make it on to my Christmas cookies list. These easy gingerbread cookies totally changed that. This past year at our Christmas gathering, my friends and family inhaled them so fast that I made a second batch Christmas night.
If you are wondering how to make soft gingerbread cookies or looking for the best gingerbread cookie recipe, I’ve got you covered.
Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies
Everyone seems divided on what to call these. Are they ginger cookies, gingersnaps or gingerbread cookies? Maybe they are molasses cookies or ginger molasses cookies! Clearly they aren’t gingerbread man cookies, but is there a hard fast rule on ginger cookie names? To me a gingersnap should have, well, some snap.
Given that these ginger cookies easy to make, and are soft and chewy gingerbread, I call them easy gingerbread cookies. Call them whatever you like, just make them. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
How To Make Gingerbread Cookies
The only thing that might be better than the taste of these cookies is how easy they are to make. There is nothing complicated about this gingerbread cookie recipe. They are quite similar to making snickerdoodles actually.
Chilling the dough isn’t even required for these, so as a result you can whip these cookies up in no time. If you need a great cookie for a cookie exchange or Christmas party but are short on time, I would certainly recommend these.
Ingredients At A Glance (printable recipe at bottom):
- Butter
- Sugar
- Egg
- Molasses
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon and Ginger
Directions At A Glance:
- Combine the wet ingredients, then combine the dry ingredients, then mix together.
- Scoop dough into balls and place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Molasses Cookies
Molasses is not something I use often. These molasses cookies and my gingerbread bars are probably the only recipes I use it in. Growing up my Dad would put molasses on all the things. He’d use it on pancakes, in oatmeal, anything was fair game. Between you and me, for that reason it kind of always turned my stomach a bit.
If you think about it, molasses looks a lot like tar. That is probably why I steered clear of gingerbread recipes for a long time. However this gingerbread cookie recipe has helped me get over my molasses phobia. So if you are thinking I don’t like molasses, don’t worry, I don’t either. But I sure do love these ginger molasses cookies! Now let’s get baking!
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Want more delicious holiday and Christmas Cookie recipes? I have some great recommendations for you below the recipe card. Don’t miss them. And if you like this recipe, sign up to get my free Favorite Cookies e-Cookbook!
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses unsulphured
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon if you like a strong cinnamon flavor, increase to 2 tsp total
- ½ tsp dried ground ginger if you like a strong ginger flavor, increase to 1-2 tsp total
- Optional: granulated sugar to roll cookie dough balls in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- First, mix together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Next, add egg and molasses and mix well.
- In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger, stirring to combine.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Form or scoop balls of dough that are slightly smaller than a golf ball. If desired, roll dough balls in granulated sugar after forming. Place them on a baking sheet approximately 2” to 3” apart to allow room for cookies to spread.
- Finally, bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking for approximately ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Video
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
If you are looking for Gingerbread Man Cookies, I’ve got those for you as well!
I hope you and your family enjoy these delicious soft gingerbread cookies as much as my family does! Also check out all the cookie recipes and Christmas cookie recipes here on Love From The Oven!
Looking for more delicious gingerbread recipes? These are certainly some of my favorites!
- Fun Gingerbread Snowballs by Crazy For Crust
- Breakfast ready Gingerbread pancakes by Love From The Oven
- Easy Gingerbread Fudge by Spend With Pennies
- Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte by The Cookie Rookie
- Crunchy Gingerbread Biscotti by She Wears Many Hats
- Gingerbread Loaf Cake by Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet
- Party ready Gingerbread Martini from Nutmeg Nanny
Now grab that ginger, run to the store for some molasses, and get baking!
Originally published September 2018
Karen Bollinger says
Hi Christi,
Recipe sounds delicious.
I have date syrup, don’t have molasses
Have you ever used date syrup in these?
Thanks!
Karen
Christi Johnstone says
I’ve never used date syrup in anything so I can’t speak to how it works. Sorry!
Kathryn W Bryant says
These are great! I did add the full 2 tsp of ginger….and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Added 2 tsp vanilla and rolled the balls of dough in course sugar crystals (Wilton). I need to double the recipe because I’m lucky to get one. Thanks so much for the recipe….
Shikema says
I made this for the 1st time last Christmas and has been making it all year because my family loved it! Thanks for this great recipe! Is it possible to make ahead and freeze?
Em says
I am very interesting to try out this recipe for my Christmas goodie gifts. I usually margarine in my baking, would be ok to use margarine in this recipe?
Christi Johnstone says
I’d assume so, but I haven’t baked with margarine in over 20 years, so I’m not familiar with how it performs in recipes.
Linda says
Great sounding recipe which is why I gave it a 5 star and will be making these for Christmas…however I do not use unsalted butter only salted. If using salted butter do o leave out the additional salt?
Christi Johnstone says
Linda, truth be told I have never once tasted any difference between the two, in any recipe. I tend to have a very salty palate so I’d never suggest omitting salt in anything. If your tastes run differently, and you are sensitive to salt, then sure, by all means, leave it out.
Helena says
I haven’t tried these yet but are y’all using dried or fresh ginger in this recipe?
Christi Johnstone says
Just dried ginger from the spice isle. I’m not inclined to use fresh ginger in desserts.
Karen says
Hiya,
I was wondering if this recipe as is could be used to make gingerbread men or cutout cookies?
Christi Johnstone says
I’d recommend my Gingerbread Man Cut Out Cookies for that!
Gina says
Can these be rolled out to use as gingerbread men?
Christi Johnstone says
I’d recommend my Gingerbread Man Cookies for that!
H says
Can anyone advise if this recipe works well with cookie cutters? The photo of the gingerbread men looks like they swell a bit when baking, any way to avoid this?
Christi Johnstone says
Try my Gingerbread Man Cut Out Cookies for that!
Natalie says
Mine never flattened out like yours did in your picture but they still were good
Christi Johnstone says
Make sure you are measuring your flour correctly, give it a stir, then spoon it into the measuring cup, then level off. Make sure to not measure flour by scooping it out with the measuring cup which will compact it and result in too much flour, which might be what happened. That said, I actually like them quite a bit the way yours turned out.