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
Ash says
Absolute favorite Gingerbread cookie now! So much so I’m using it as the “crust” for my Holiday cheesecake!!
Rachael says
Can this dough be refrigerated and baked the next day? I just got the first batch in the oven at 9:45 pm (I’m doing a double batch) and I’m pooped 🤦🏼♀️🤣
Jackie says
WAAAAY too much flour!! Look at some other recipes before starting this one. Our dough turned out way too dry. Can’t even form balls. Going to try to salvage the ingredients
Christi Johnstone says
This is a well tested recipe, with lots of positive comments here, and on Facebook and Instagram, so most likely you over measured the flour. Make sure when you measure flour, you give it a stir, then you spoon it into a measuring cup, then level it off. Never scoop the flour with the cup to measure, or you will get too much flour. Make sure to use dry measuring cups, not a glass pyrex type cup, which is made for liquid. Always level off the cup. Too much flour, as you noted, will result in what you are seeing. When measured correctly, the amount of flour in this recipe is perfect. This dough, when measured and made as directed, can easily be scooped and shaped. Hope that helps, Happy Holidays!
Carla Verbois says
These cookies taste amazing! And they were so easy to whip up. I am not always a fan of online recipes but I am 100% a fan of these gingerbread cookies now. I will be trying some more recipes from this site.
Amanda says
I’ve become almost famous amongst family and friends for these cookies! Everyone I’ve made these for loves them, including myself 🙂 I increase the spices to 2 tsps and it’s just perfect!
I’ll be making them for Christmas and was wondering if they’ll be just as delicious on the third day if I make ahead? Or do you recommend freezing? They usually don’t last that long 🙂 so I wanted to see what you thought!
Christi Johnstone says
Yes, they’ll be good. If you want you can store them with a slice of plain old sandwich bread, which will help keep them soft.
Booklady says
I have wanted ginger cookies since Thanksgiving. These were fast, easy, soft and soooooo tasty! I just made them and took some included with gifts to two neighbor ladies. Thanks for posting.
Kaitlyn says
I’m not normally a fan of gingerbread. It’s probably one of my last cookie choices. But these are fantastic 🤩 not too gingery, not too cinnamonny, not to molasses-y. Perfect firmness/softness. 10/10 will probably make these forever 😄
Christi Johnstone says
Right? I’m not a big gingerbread fan, but these just hit the spot! Glad you like them!
karine drouin says
I just made those cookies and they are awesome! I made about 10 extra large cookies half baked (10 minutes).
Judy says
Excellent soft ginger bread recipe. Thanks
Anon says
Do I use cinnamon sugar or ground cinnamon for this recipe?
Christi Johnstone says
Just ground cinnamon, honestly I’ve never even purchased cinnamon sugar.