Description
These Best Soft Gingerbread Cookies are ultra thick, soft, and packed with warm spices like ginger and cinnamon. Perfectly balanced with molasses and brown sugar, these cookies stay tender and flavorful, making them ideal for holiday baking or any time you crave a cozy treat. They can be decorated simply with powdered sugar or elegantly with royal icing for festive flair. This recipe ensures beautifully soft, richly spiced gingerbread cookies every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature (preferably salted)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses (do NOT use blackstrap)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed (390 grams)
- 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Royal Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
- 4-6 tbsp water
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: Beat the softened butter in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer on high speed until creamy. Add the packed light brown sugar and continue mixing until the mixture is well combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Pour in the molasses and mix until fully incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt) and mix until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels crumbly, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk to help it come together smoothly.
- Roll and Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll each half out to about 3/8 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper, using a ruler or visual estimate to achieve even thickness. Place the rolled dough on a baking sheet, keep it sandwiched in parchment paper, and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or in the freezer for a shorter time, until firm and fully chilled for easier handling.
- Cut Out Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Remove the chilled dough, peel off the top parchment, and cut out cookie shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cookies spaced a couple of inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If at any point the dough is too soft to maintain the shapes, re-chill the baking sheet with cookies in the fridge or freezer for 5 to 15 minutes to firm up before baking. Roll and chill scraps again until all dough is used.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes. They should appear just set with a slightly puffed appearance and may look slightly underdone in the center. Avoid overbaking to keep them soft. After baking, allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once the cookies have cooled, decorate by dipping in glaze, dusting with powdered sugar, or piping royal icing. To make royal icing, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water in a large bowl and mix on high speed for about 1.5 minutes. Adjust consistency by adding water or powdered sugar as needed. Pipe desired designs using a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #1 tip. Optionally, add gel food coloring for tinted icing and sprinkle with white sanding sugar while icing is wet for sparkle.
- Serve and Store: Let decorated cookies sit until the icing is fully set before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 6 days, or in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 days. Bring to room temperature before serving if chilled.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Cookie dough can be made, rolled, and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking. Baked cookies can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days before decorating. Royal icing can be made and refrigerated for 1-2 days and re-mixed before use.
Notes
- The cookies are thick, soft, and deeply flavored, ideal for holiday baking or cozy treats.
- The dough is easy to roll out between parchment paper to avoid sticking and uneven thickness.
- Can be decorated simply with powdered sugar or elaborately with royal icing.
- Royal icing consistency can be adjusted by adding water or powdered sugar, and coloring can be added with gel food coloring.
- Use meringue powder in royal icing for a smooth, pipeable texture and stability.
- Do not use blackstrap molasses as it may impart a bitter flavor; use light or regular molasses instead.
- Cookies hold their shape better when the dough and cut cookies are chilled well before baking.
- Test bake a single cookie if unsure about baking time to get perfect softness.
- Cookies are best enjoyed after the royal icing has set completely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 330 kcal
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 207 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
