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Soft and chewy Gingerbread Cookies recipe made with a simple gingerbread recipe and decorated however you like! Everyone loves this classic recipe and they taste delicious!
Looking for more holiday treats? Don't miss our Ginger Molasses Cookies, Caramel Popcorn, or Chocolate Fudge! And don't miss my Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas!
When I was young, we often decorated the “kids” Christmas tree with gingerbread cookies and it made the house smell amazing. This is the BEST recipe for soft, chewy gingerbread cookies.
What I LOVE about them:
- Soft and Chewy: Gingerbread cookies have a reputation for being hard and crispy, but not this recipe! Follow my baking tips and they will turn out perfectly soft and chewy.
- Make Ahead or Freeze: You can prepare the chewy gingerbread cookies or dough in advance. See tips below in the post.
- Fun to Decorate: Kids of all ages love decorating Christmas gingerbread man cookies so plan it for your next Christmas party! You can make the soft gingerbread cookies and frosting ahead of time so that the kids can just enjoy decorating.
How to make Gingerbread Cookies:
Gingerbread is made with the following simple ingredients: brown sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, butter, milk, and molasses!
Make the Gingerbread: Mix flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add chunks of butter and incorporate them with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix in the molasses and milk until combined.
Refrigerate: Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours or overnight.
Roll the Dough: When ready to bake, roll out the dough to ½ inch thickness, use cookie cutters to cut gingerbread men, and place them on your cookie sheet. Bake them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Once cool, frost and decorate, if desired! You can use any kind of frosting or icing, and candy. It really is the best gingerbread cookies recipe!
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Make the gingerbread and store it, well covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Roll out and cut into cookies when ready to bake. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them.
To Freeze: wrap the dough really well in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for 2-3 months. Allow the dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before attempting to roll. Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
For more holiday magic, try roasting chestnuts!
Gingerbread Man Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, , packed
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 Tablespoons butter, , room temperature, cut into 12 pieces
- 3/4 cup molasses, (dark molasses)
- 2 Tablespoons milk
For the frosting:
- 2 Tablespoons butter, , room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Add flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt to a mixing bowl and mix.3 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the butter pieces and use a pastry blender to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles fine meal.12 Tablespoons butter
- With a mixer running on low speed gradually add the molasses and milk and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.¾ cup molasses, 2 Tablespoons milk
- Divide the dough in half, forming each into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, until firm, if you’re in a hurry. (Refrigeration is mandatory or the dough will be too sticky to handle).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove one dough sheet from the fridge/freezer and place on a well floured counter. Lightly flour the top of the dough and the rolling pin and roll out the dough (dust with a little more flour if needed), until it’s about ½ inch thick. Cut gingerbread men and place them on prepared baking sheets.
- Refrigerate the gingerbread men for 5 minutes (meanwhile you can roll out the other dough ball).
- Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes (depending on the size of your cookie cutter). Do not overbake!!
- Remove the cookies to a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.
- Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
For the frosting:
- Add butter, milk, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add additional cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add frosting to piping bag if desired.2 Tablespoons butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons milk
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe December 2018. Updated December 2020 and November 2022.
Process photos by Nikole from The Travel Palate
This is my second year making this recipe and it is a winner. The softest and best tasting gingerbread cookies.
I’ve never made ginger bread cookies. I thought I baked them wrong. But this step by step recipe was easy to follow. My ginger bread cookies came out great!!!
Has anyone tried it with oat milk instead of regular milk?
GREAT RECIPE! I Followed it exactly no substitutions, no changes, which I rarely do. My four batches of gingerbread cookies turned out perfect. I love love love the robust flavor. I might add a bit more sugar next time, but these were hands down the best gingerbread cookies I’ve ever made, would not change anything else. Thank you for the great recipe!!
Awesome flavor!!!
Easy to
Cut out.
If you double the recipe be aware it won’t fit in your kitchenaid mixer.
The amount of molasses ruined the dough, yuck!
How did it ruin it? Molasses is a major ingredient in gingerbread.
Did you follow through and make it as written, including chilling the dough?? It doesn’t sound like it. How can you say it ruined the dough if you didn’t even bake them? Mine are best I ever tasted💕
Did you follow through and make it as written, including chilling the dough?? It doesn’t sound like it. How can you say it ruined the dough if you didn’t even bake them? Mine are best I ever tasted💕
I would allow them to thaw to room temperature.
This was my first time making gingerbread and they turned out great! I followed the recipe exact and no issues that some others are posting. However I only left dough balls in fridge for 45min – 1hr. And didn’t put back in once cookies were cut just baked from there. I also got 60 cookies so no idea how people are ending up with less than a dozen. I did not find the dough too crumbly or too sticky. Just floured as I rolled and it was fine. I’d post a picture if the site let me. Also not too spicy or over the top molasses. Taste’s like gingerbread is suppose too. Maybe those that found that didn’t mix enough. Or maybe they don’t actually like those flavours. Anyways I definitely recommend and will make again. Thanks for the tasty recipe!
Delicious! And so easy! Thank you!
These cookies turned out fantastic!! I made my dough a few days in advance because I was busy so kept it in the freezer & then on the counter to thaw. The cookies are not too hard & not too soft. Seems like some people can’t follow instructions & are disappointed 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Why can’t I read the reviews?
Although this recipe was listed at having 2.1k five star reviews, I can’t access them. Therefore this sounds bogus and I’m not going to try it. ☹️
Hi Judith, the reviews are all at the very bottom of the page–scroll down and you’ll see them after the recipe card. –You’ll only see a few before you have to click the button “See More Comments” to read more. We can’t load all the reviews on one page or the page speed would take forever to load.
Hey Judith! I use this site frequently for recipes and you’re right! Sometimes on my phone I cant access comments. I think it might be a cache or add block issue. But I assure you they are here and I can see them! I’ll also tell you I tried this recipe and its preeeettty amazing! 🙂
Can I use this recipe to make gingerbread houses to decorate? Or will it be too soft?
I’d suggest my recipe for gingerbread houses, found here: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/gingerbread-house/
I’ve spent 18 years trying to find a recipe like my great grandma’s. This recipe isn’t it. It’s SO MUCH BETTER! (Sorry gramma)
Just finished 4 batches and can’t wait to make more. They were easy to make. Only hiccup was that my kitchen was too warm so had to put the dough in the freezer for a few minutes in between. Baked up perfectly in 10 minutes and cooled just as quick.
My husband couldn’t wait and grabbed a couple before I could ice them. That’s how divine they smelled as they baked.
5/5 Definitely recommend!!