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!
CLICK TO PIN & SAVE THIS RECIPE
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
anon says
Another rave review! I baked a batch tonight and used the exact recipe. These are delicious! Even my toddlers loved them. Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Dee says
Your serving size was spot on. I did 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp of ginger. It was perfect for my family’s taste. My 1 & 3 year old helped make & eat them. Simple, wonderful recipe that is kid approved. So glad you did not have cloves in the recipe. I have to add time to every recipe for the way my oven cooks. I added 2 extra minutes & would have been fine without it. This is a keeper for us. Thank you for sharing.
Peg says
Gluten free here,can I sub almond flour for white flour
Carole Langston says
the dough balls did not flatten out in the oven – they have a great texture and taste but are more round than a flat normal flat cookie
Christi Johnstone says
Make sure you measure your flour by giving it a stir, then spooning it into the measuring cup and level it off. If your cookies were overly round, there was too much flour.
Prakash S Thumboli says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I have made a couple batches so far and my family loves them. They are usually all gone the same day!
Connie Hardman says
I have never made gingerbread cookies before but this recipe is the bomb!! I will make this recipe over and over and over again!! My husband and granddaughter just loved the cookies.
Keep the good recipes coming……lol
Beth Harding says
Made these as is with the maximum amount of cinnamon and ginger listed. At first I thought they needed even more but after tasting them the next day they were amazing. Gingerbread men are cute but more trouble than they’re worth. These are the perfect soft gingerbread cookie!!
Pam says
I doubled up the recipe and the cookies are too strong in molasses flavour. I would cut back on the molasses.
Otherwise very soft cookie. The key is whipping your wet ingredients for 2-3 min.
Christi Johnstone says
You are the first person ever to say it’s too much, if anything people think it’s not strong enough. I would DEFINITELY say that for most people, the amount of molasses in these is on the more mild side if anything, as that’s what I prefer. And the people saying it’s not strong enough, would clearly agree with that statement. Anything less and I think you are in snickerdoodle territory.
Laura says
I just made these for Yule and holy smokes!! They are fantastic. I used maple syrup because molasses is hard to find in the U.K. (but my family luckily sends me loads of maple syrup!), and they turned out amazing. I’m going to be proud to show these off. Thank you!
laurarobinson says
Love these. Great texture. My son liked them too and he claimed he did not like gingerbread!