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
Lupe says
I’d like to make larger cookies.. if I chill the dough a little and make dough balls the size of a small tennis ball.. will it work? I imagine that it would probably need more time to cook. Let me know what you think? Thank you!
Ginger says
We’ve been making these delicious cookies regularly for a few years now. Since we moved to a higher elevation (5,000ft), we can’t get them to bake right. They don’t spread out much at all. Any suggestions on what we can try?
Christi Johnstone says
Unfortunately high altitude is something I am still trying to figure out myself. Being a Phoenix native, it’s a whole new world of baking for me! If I was making these I think I’d try upping the flour a bit.
Lanie says
How long can you store these cookies as room temperature for?
Lee says
This recipe is the best just as it is. Always comes out great. My husbands favorite cookie so I make it all year long. Thanks for a great recipe.
Sebastian says
The recipe as written is fantastic!
They’re perfect.
Soft. Crispy. Ginger.
Donna says
The recipe works perfectly as is. Soft and chewy and delicious. I used the extra cinnamon and ginger.. have made multiple times and everyone loves them
Trinity Shedd says
I have a question. If I use salted butter or whichever I have in the kitchen… should I still keep the salt in the recipe or omit it due to the butter having salt content?
Hoping to make these in a day or two.
Altazink says
Very close but I recommend 2 eggs with an extra 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar and 1.5 tsp of ginger. Cook time 11 mins at 335 and remove from tray immediately.
Nobody ever spoons their flour into the measurement cup and unfortunately this recipe sets you up to have your dough too dry. Best to have less and add more if needed than too much and need to error correct.
Substitutions available
No butter – equal amount margarine or lard. 3/4 the amount in oil (olive, vegetable, or peanut)
No Molasses – Substitute your granulated white sugar in cookies for brown sugar. If you use golden sugar then also coat in the golden sugar.
No eggs – Substitute 1/4 yogurt or buttermilk
Flour – chick pea flour, rice flour and almond flour all work too.
Christi Johnstone says
Some fun changes. Since I’ve been making and sharing this recipe for years, as written, I’ll be sticking with it that way, as it’s our all time favorite cookie recipe! Perfect, chewy gingerbread cookies!
Jen says
Just made these and they are delicious! Can unfreeze after baking?
Christi Johnstone says
Yes, you can, just let them cool completely first.
Bherenow66 says
Best gingerbread cookies ever. Froze the second dozen. Baked frozen for 15 minutes. Perfect. Crowd pleaser.