If you’re looking for your next favorite cookie recipe, allow me to introduce you to my gingerbread cookies!
These are some of my most requested cookies during the holiday season and I’m so excited to share this recipe with you.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Molasses
- Light brown sugar
- Room temperature butter
- One egg
- Vanilla extract
- Ground ginger
- Baking soda
- Ginger
- Ground cloves
- Nutmeg
- Salt
- Pepper
I know what you’re thinking – pepper in a cookie recipe? But trust me, the slight kick you get from the pepper balances the sweetness in these cookies. It’s my secret ingredient 😉
How to make gingerbread cookies
These cookies are so easy to make, but they do take a bit of time. First, you’ll want to add the room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat it for about two to three minutes (or until it’s light and fluffy).
Then, add the brown sugar, molasses, vanilla extract, and egg. Beat together until well incorporated. This should only take about three minutes.
In the meantime, add all of your dry ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Once the wet ingredients are fully incorporated, slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The dough should be a bit sticky.
Add the gingerbread cookie dough to a medium-sized bowl and refrigerate for two hours overnight. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out your gingerbread cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut your gingerbread cookies in whatever shape you want! Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Gingerbread cookie FAQ
I’ve gotten quite a few questions throughout the years from my friends and family and thought I’d share the tips I’ve shared with them with you today!
How long am I able to store these gingerbread cookies?
When baked, these cookies should last you about a week and a half in a tightly covered container on the counter. If, however, you choose to freeze the dough, it’ll freeze for up to three months. Make sure to thaw the dough in the fridge before baking!
Am I able to make these without molasses?
You are, but I wouldn’t really recommend it just because you lose a bit of flavor by doing so. However, if you don’t want to use molasses, you can use dark brown sugar to attempt to get the flavor you’re after. You’d have to use a lot though (like, 2 1/2 cups or more).
Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes + 2 hours to rest in the fridge
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours & 18 minutes
- Yield: Around 40 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups molasses
- 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 1 stick room temperature butter (12 tbsp)
- 1 egg
- 2 TSP vanilla extract
- 2 TSP ground ginger
- 1 TSP baking soda
- 1 TSP cinnamon
- 1 TSP nutmeg
- 1 TSP ground cloves
- 1/2 TSP salt
- 1/2 TSP pepper
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter for 2-3 minutes or until it’s light and fluffy. Then, add the brown sugar, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat until well incorporated.
- In the meantime, add all dry ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly, mixing until combined. You’ll notice that the dough is a little sticky, but that’s completely okay! Add your gingerbread cookie dough to a new bowl and refrigerate for up to two hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out your gingerbread cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut your gingerbread cookies in whatever shape you want! Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
