These Gingerbread Cookies are perfect for getting you in the Holiday spirit. An award-winning recipe with warm spices and molasses!
Merry Christmas!
These Award Winning Gingerbread Cookies will get you feeling festive and make your Christmas Cookie Exchange clamor for the recipe! Shared by a family friend, they have won three cookie competitions!
Making these cookies is a delightful and stress-free experience. Mixing together butter, sugar, and molasses creates a dough that’s both easy to handle and bursting with flavor. Rolling the dough into balls, giving them a sugary coating, and watching them transform into cookies with a delightful crunch on the outside and a soft, tender inside is simply heartwarming. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, these Gingerbread Cookies are a treat that will add a touch of holiday magic to your gatherings. So, let’s whip up some homemade joy and make your holidays even more special!
Other yummy Christmas Recipes like Strawberry Pavlova and Turtle Cheesecake can create quite the buzz too!
Video: How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Sabrina’s Gingerbread Cookie recipe is your ticket to the heartwarming flavors of the holiday season. Imagine a magical mix of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses, all in one cookie. It’s like a cozy holiday hug in dessert form! Sound interesting? Then you’ll love to try our Santa Gingerbread Pancakes.
Gingerbread cookies trace their origins to medieval Europe, with spices like ginger arriving through Crusaders. Initially a luxury, they featured intricate shapes and gold leaf decoration. Over time, gingerbread cookies became a festive treat at European fairs and holidays. European settlers brought gingerbread traditions to North America in the 17th century, leading to the development of the classic gingerbread cookie we enjoy today, especially during Christmas.
Creating these cookies is as easy as a winter breeze. You’ll whip up a batch by creaming butter, sugar, and molasses, adding a splash of orange juice, and blending it all with dry ingredients. Roll the dough in sugar for an extra touch of sweetness, and voilà! You’ve got cookies that are perfect for family gatherings and festive parties.
Can These Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, they can! The dough can be refrigerated for 1-2 days in advance. This makes it a convenient option for those looking to prepare in advance and bake fresh, warm cookies when needed!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups Flour: The primary dry ingredient, flour serves as the base, providing structure and texture to the cookies. All-purpose flour works best.
- 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger: Ground ginger adds that delightful, signature spiciness to the cookies, infusing them with warm and zesty flavor. It’s a key player in gingerbread cookies, and there’s no perfect substitute.
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda: Baking soda acts as a leavening agent, making the cookies rise and become light and fluffy.
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon: Cinnamon brings that cozy, aromatic sweetness to the cookies, enhancing their overall warmth. Cinnamon is a gingerbread essential.
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves: Ground cloves provide a unique, earthy depth of flavor, complementing the ginger.
- ¼ teaspoon Salt: Salt enhances the overall taste by balancing sweetness and intensifying other flavors. Regular table salt or sea salt both work well.
- ¾ cup Butter, softened: Butter adds richness and moisture to the cookies, making them tender and flavorful. Unsalted butter is preferred, but you can use salted butter and adjust the added salt accordingly.
- 1 cup Sugar: Sugar sweetens the dough and adds that classic cookie sweetness. You can use white sugar or granulated sugar, or even brown sugar for a slightly stronger molasses flavor.
- 1 large Egg: The egg binds the ingredients together and adds moisture, resulting in a chewy texture.
- 1 tablespoon Orange juice: Orange juice provides a subtle citrusy note that balances the spices.
- ¼ cup Molasses: Molasses is the star of gingerbread cookies, giving them their iconic flavor and color.
- ¼ cup Sugar (for rolling): This additional sugar is used to coat the dough before baking, creating a sweet and slightly crispy exterior. You can use coarse sugar for extra crunch or regular granulated sugar.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
Mixing Bowls: Mixing bowls are essential for combining dry and wet ingredients. Choose a set with various sizes to accommodate different stages of the recipe.
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: A stand mixer or hand mixer makes creaming butter and sugar a breeze. It ensures a uniform dough consistency. Tip: Start at a low speed to prevent ingredients from flying out of the bowl.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: Precise measurements are crucial in baking. Use measuring cups and spoons to portion flour, sugar, and other ingredients accurately.
Spatula: A spatula helps scrape every bit of dough from the mixing bowl and ensures nothing goes to waste.
Baking Sheets: Baking sheets are where your cookies come to life. Use rimmed baking sheets to prevent cookies from spreading too much. Tip: Line the sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
How to Make Easy Gingerbread Cookies
Time needed: 3 hours and 15 minutes.
- Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Set this dry flour mixture aside.
- Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a separate mixing bowl, or your electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and white sugar until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Step 3: Add Egg and Orange Juice
Add a large egg to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until fully incorporated. Then, mix in the tablespoon of orange juice until well combined.
- Step 4: Incorporate Molasses
Gradually add the ¼ cup of molasses to the wet mixture and mix until it’s fully integrated.
- Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Incorporate the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients in small batches, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing; you want the dough to come together without overworking it.
- Step 6: Chill the Dough
Refrigerate the cookie dough for 2-3 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.
- Step 7: Preheat Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Step 8: Shape and Coat
Take about 2 tablespoons of dough, roll it into balls, and roll each ball in the ¼ cup of sugar to coat. Place them on a baking sheet, leaving space for spreading.
- Step 9: Flatten and Bake
Flatten each dough ball to the thickness of a double-stuffed Oreo. Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Avoid overbaking; you want them slightly soft in the center.
- Step 10: Cool and Enjoy
Once done, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Enjoy your freshly baked Gingerbread Cookies!
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
Store leftover gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, maintaining their texture and flavor.
Reheating
If cookies become slightly stale, microwave briefly with a damp paper towel for a fresh-baked taste.
Freezing Cookies
Freeze Gingerbread Cookies by first placing them on a baking sheet until solid, then transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag for long-term storage, up to 2-3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chilling gingerbread cookie dough is not strictly required, but it is highly recommended for better results. Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld and enhances the texture of the cookies. It also makes the dough easier to handle and roll, preventing excessive spreading during baking and resulting in thicker, chewier cookies.
If you don’t have the orange juice feel free to use water. The orange juice really makes the flavor pop. It doesn’t taste like orange, it is similar to when you add coffee to a chocolate cake batter to intensify the chocolate flavor. It is like a secret ingredient that makes the cookie go from good to award-winning!
When you form the dough into a ball and roll it into the sugar be sure you press it down a bit. Use a water glass bottom to press it down to about ½ the ball’s thickness.
These cookies will travel well if shipped with 1-2 day shipping. Make sure to package them securely in an airtight and well-cushioned container. They’re also a favorite cookie and an anchor recipe of any Christmas Cookie Swap Plate.
To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card. For example, ¼ cup of molasses is approximately 30 grams.
Yes, adding a tablespoon or two of chopped crystallized ginger bits can be a tasty addition to the recipe.
You can try our Royal Icing recipe, which pairs well with these cookies. You can find the recipe here: Royal Icing Recipe.
Using a gingerbread man mold can be a fun and creative twist to the recipe. It can result in puffier and more festive-shaped cookies.
The recipe calls for plain all-purpose flour. There’s no need to use self-rising or specialty flours.
If you prefer smaller cookies, you can adjust the size to 1 tablespoon each. The original recipe suggests using 2 tablespoon-sized balls.
Orange juice helps balance the flavors of ginger and molasses in the cookies. It doesn’t impart an orange taste but enhances the overall flavor profile
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter , softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.)
- Cream the butter and 1 cup sugar.
- Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.
- Add the orange juice and molasses (I use light molasses) until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients in small batches until just combined.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, if you can't at least put it in the freezer for a half an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In about 2 tablespoon balls, roll into the ¼ cup sugar and flatten so it looks like the thickness of a double stuff Oreo, really thick but clearly flattened.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Click on the “yield” amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card.
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
More Festive Christmas Cookies
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
Making these for contest now but. . Do I grease my pans ????? 911
No need to grease your pans if you’re using slipmat or non stick bakeware.
I normally don’t like gingerbread cookies but this recipe was amazing!! A keeper for sure. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
My girls and I made this tonight and made half into cut out gingerbread men. They turned out awesome. We only chilled in freezer for 30 minutes.
I made these last year and I wasnt sure if I even liked molasses cookies! I wanted to be festive and wow i fell in love!! They are the most perfect gooey chewy cookies. I thought i lost this recipe so i was just going to try something totally different, but I cant wait to make these again this year!
I’ve made these cookies for Christmas the past two years and they are legitimately the best gingerbread cookies I’ve ever tasted. Their texture is just perfect, they are both crunchy and chewy, and the flavour profile is both complex and and incredibly pleasing, not too sweet and not too bitter. I get more compliments on these cookies than on anything else. That little bit of orange juice is absolutely essential.
Thank you!!!!
Hello Sabrina,
This recipe looks amazing, just wanted to know if you can shape these into gingerbread men.
Thank you,
Grace
I don’t think they would hold their shape, sorry.
I made these cookies but I didn’t get the cracks on top of cookies.
I baked the total 11 minutes. I was afraid to bake longer.
I thought I would loose the chewy consistency of the cookie.
The flavor is great, we love them. I just like the cracked look.
I’m so glad you loved them!! If they have a smoother look, it seems like maybe a longer chill time is needed. Try that for next time and see if that helps.
I made these today with my 7yo son.
We had the whole family over to sample a few hours after they were done.
They are some pretty hard critics and these cookies were a hit.
Every. Single. Person. Loved. Them!!!!
Thanks so much for the recipe.
These will be a Xmas staple??
So glad to hear this! Happy holidays!
After a lot of gingerbread cookie flops over the last year I stumbled acrossed your recipe! THANK YOU??????????. I followed the recipe to the T except I noticed nobody uses vanilla I did about 1/4 tsp. Anyhow best gingerbread cookies I will no longer ply with any other recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome, Gloria!
What is the difference between the white sugar and the 1/4 cup of sugar? I just want to make sure I get it right!
The extra 1/4 cup of white sugar is to roll the balls in before baking. Hopefully that clears up any confusion. Enjoy!
I was looking for a Christmas cookie recipes for my jobs Christmas party bake off and came across this recipe! These cookies look simple to make and very delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe! Looking forward to making these for the party!
Excellent recipe! I made a similar recipe a few weeks ago that didn’t call for chilling the dough and it turned into one big sheet cookie. Chilling this time created perfect cookies. I used ground flax seed as egg substitute and no one knew the difference. They were a big hit.
You’re absolutely right about chilling the dough to avoid spreading. I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
(Not sure if the five star rating I gave these went through so I’m doing it now!) ?
How sweet, thank you!! <3
I love, love, love ginger cookies and these are absolutely the best!!! Would it work to double the recipe? It would be wonderful to have an extra batch of these in the freezer, especially with Christmas so near. They’d also be a wonderful addition to a holiday cookie plate or to include in the food baskets I like to give as gifts. These are now my go-to recipe for ginger cookies!
I frequently double the recipe! I’m so glad these are going into your arsenal, they’ve been my go to for so long, we love them so much!
Looks like most of these comments are folks saying that they can’t wait to try it…. Well, I am writing this immediately following our first batch. This recipe is spectacular!
Thank you, Davey!
Definitely a good recipe, I love the flavor. I’m going to definitely be lowering the amount of sugar though, a little to sweet for my taste but still delicious. I’ll also be switching white sugar for brown and adding a tad more molasses and more ginger for a more spicy gingersnap cookie
I made these as directed and they are very good and I’m not really a big fan of gingerbread…until now that is. They are a soft gingerbread sugar cookie I did dip each half into the melted white chocolate and sprinkled with a coarse sugar. Brought some over to the neighbors and got a “your the best neighbor ever” comment. Thanks for a great recipe .
How awesome! So glad eveyone loved them!
Sabrina, I can’t believe you didn’t mention the awesome SMELL! Oh man. Bring on Christmas!! Thank you for sharing this!?
Nice bonus for sure!!
Made this recipe today, delicious cookies.
Can you do a cut out with this dough?
No, sorry. This recipe won’t work for cutouts.
Can this recipe be used for gingerbread men?
No, unfortuntely the dough will spread out and not keep the shape.
How many dozen does this make?
3 dozen 🙂
Enjoy!!
I made these cookies last night, followed the recipe exactly and they turned out Great! I don’t typically like gingerbread but I recommend these so yummy!!
Love love love these cookies!!
Omg the best! THANKS
I have made these cookies twice. The flavor is delicious and they are moist…but they are very flat and smooth. They aren’t crackled or thick like yours. I followed the directions exactly, making sure to chill the dough thoroughly (3 hours). I bought new baking soda and eggs… I am using Grandmas brand of Molasses as it is the only kind sold at my supermarket. Would that make a difference? How long do you cream the sugar and butter together? Would adding more flour help? I appreciate your feedback. It’s a delicious recipe…just want the cookies to look more like a “ traditional ginger/molasses cookie.
I’m glad they’re still yummy but let’s try and figure out why the texture is off. It’s usually from creaming the butter and sugar too long so make sure to not over mix. Also when forming them into balls, make them a bit taller than perfectly round and press down a bit on the top. That might help the shape too. If you try those two things and they still are the same, feel free to email me at contact @ dinnerthendessert .com and we can troubleshoot more.
I made the dough for this cookie recipe yesterday and made the cookies today. Love the flavor of this cookie and the soft texture. I have braces on my teeth so I only try to bake soft cookies. lol Thanks for such an easy and delicious recipe.
You’re welcome, Penny!
I just made these cookies for a bake sale. They are so delicious and easy too!! Honestly I do not want to put them in the bake sale- but I better or else I will eat them !! Lol! ?
Haha, you know they’ll do well at the sale when you want them all to yourself!
Hi, I love Christmas !! And have been looking for a great gingerbread cookies recipes. Can I clarify for Step8, roll the doughball one by one into the 1/4 cup of sugar, remove it and flatten it before baking it ? Is my understanding correct ?
Thanks
Yes, you just want to get a nice coating of sugar all over it (easier to do in ball form) and then I press it into a cookie shape. Hope this helps clear up any confusion.
Hi Sabrina, This will be my first time using your recipe, but I have a question regarding your molasses type? Dark or light, also what brand of butter and orange juice, as this is relevant to the outcome. Thank you for taking time to respond!
I used Brer Rabbit Molasses (Mild Flavor). I think the higher quality of the ingredients, the better the flavor especially in baking.
Girl these are the best cookies ever!!! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe you are a rock star chef!!! They were so good they now have a permanent spot in my family cookbook!!! Will make these again and again for sure and again ?!!!
You are too sweet!!
I made these for Christmas and everyone I gave them to loved them! I can’t eat gluten or dairy so I didn’t get to try them until today when I made them gluten and dairy free. They were better than I imagined and they will definitely be something I make more than just at Christmas time.
How awesome Lynn! So glad you were able to enjoy them!
I just made a batch and am waiting for them to cool. I sampled the batter a few too many times so I know they are going to taste amazing. Two questions though, 1. Did you use salted or unsalted butter and 2. Kosher salt or regular sea salt
They’re so good so I don’t blame you for the sneak taste! I used unsalted butter and kosher salt for this recipe. Enjoy!
I just love them and will definitely make them many times!
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you loved them Judith!
Made these a second time to give as gifts to the neighbors and thought I’d contribute some interesting observations for gluten/dairy free people out there. Last time I made them gluten/dairy free but I accidentally used baking powder instead of baking soda and they turned out wonderfully, as stated prior. This time I used baking soda (as the recipe lists) and had some interesting finds: First, I made a gluten/dairy free batch as I did last time and they did not rise and had a different texture (still great). Second, I made a regular full gluten/dairy batch and they turned out much more crinkly and look just like your pictures. Bottom line, for those of you baking gluten/dairy free maybe try this recipe with baking powder substituted for the soda for more of a cookie-like outcome.
Thanks for the GF/DF tip Natalie!
Made these last night as I’ve never made or eaten a gingerbread cookie that wasn’t a traditional gingerbread man. To be perfectly honest, I was sceptic as I don’t like gingerbread men, but I gave it a shot nonetheless (I also know that any cookie recipe that uses molasses is not playing around). Safe to say, I’m absolutely a convert! They turned out fantastic!! My mom has dubbed them “the best cookies she’s had – ever!” which is quite the complement as she’s not a huge dessert person (which makes me fear I’m adopted as I live for dessert). Will never use another recipe for these cookies again and am looking forward to giving more of your recipes a try!
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
lol. Sorry about the multiple comments I just saw the other star the rating is correct now user error.
May I say these cookies live up to the title “Award winning”.
I made these last night and my boys and husband loved them……….OK understatement, we were all blown away. They’re so good I woke up this morning to prep for two more batches, so that I can give them out as gifts to family for Christmas
Thank you again for sharing this recipe. It is indeed my new favorite of all the cookies I’ve baked.
That’s such a huge compliments!! Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed them!
Delicious! I Didn’t have oj so used 1T water and 1tsp dried orange rind. I forgot to press down but they cooked perfectly. I I did put dough in fridge overnight. Got raves!!
Yay!! This cookie never disappoints! So glad everyone loved them.
Do you have to use the ground clove
It’s part of the flavoring of the cookie so if you leave it out, it will change the flavor of the cookie. If you’re ok with that, then omit it and give it a try.
Are they pictured here with Royal Icicng on the side that they were dipped in?
I just dipped them in melted white chocolate. So yummy!
Sabrina, are the cookies chewy or traditionally hard?
They are chewy 🙂
Hi! I made these cookies tonight and they are absolutely delicious!! I do have one question. Although mine taste delicious they don’t have the cracks and valleys that your cookies do … did I do something wrong?
If the texture is off, it sounds like the dough needed more chilling time. I’m so glad you enjoyed them. They are such a family favorite that we eat the all year round!!
My family loved these cookies. I am not a fan of these kind of cookies but this recipe made me like them. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. I made several batches of these wonderful cookies as posted but this last batch i added the white chocolate chips into the batter ( got lazy xD) Both ways were great. Will be making these every Christmas. Thanks
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Just made these and they were my first attempt at gingerbread cookies. They were really good. Might add an extra teaspoon of ginger next time, just because I love ginger! This will definitely go in my recipe box for many years. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Can I use this recipe for gingerbread men?
I don’t think this is the best recipe for gingerbread men. The dough will spread a bit more than you want. Also, you’ll want to use a recipe that creates a smoother surface for decorating.
Great taste, easy to make.
this is my second year in a row baking these cookies for Christmas and they taste amazing! but I’m having some trouble with the baking time. I follow the recipe exactly but at 11 minutes they look really mushy and underdone. Are they supposed to look that way and then they firm up when they cool? They also bake inconsistently and there’s smooth on top unlike yours. What am I doing wrong?
I’m so glad you love them!! If your texture is smoother, it sounds like the dough needs more chilling time. Also, these do firm up a bit more once out of the oven but they shouldn’t be mushy. I think a longer chill time might solve both issues. Let me know how it works out for your next batch 🙂
Everyone loved these! They won my cookie exchange. My family and neighbors loved them also. Best gingerbread cookies I’ve ever had.
One note about the recipe though. I did a test batch of a few different cookies when I was deciding what to make for the cookie exchange. When I followed the recipe directions of 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, I only got 18 cookies out of it instead of 36; also, they were huge! When I made them for the cookie exchange and for my neighbors, I used 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie. Got 36 cookies per batch and they were the perfect size. Is that part of the recipe a misprint?
That’s so awesome that you won!! I seriously love hearing this!!
Thanks for the info on the yield count. After the holidays, I’ll do some testing again and adjust if needed.
Doubled the recipe! but added a bit more ginger
So good!