Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

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Soft and chewy gingerbread cookiesare my favorite Christmas treat to decorate with my kids. They’re just as delicious to eat as they are cute to look at!

For more delicious cookie recipes to try during the holidays I love grinch cookies, these haystack cookies, and yummy snickerdoodles. They are perfect for any gathering because everyone loves them!

Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (1)

Gingerbread Cookies

Tis the season for cookies so I hope you’re as excited to kick the holiday season into full gear as I am! I couldn’t think of a better recipe to share with you to start the Christmas season than with these fun and tasty gingerbread cookies! I love this recipe because the cookies are soft and chewy, instead of crispy. Plus, they have that delicious and classic gingerbread taste which really brings in that festive, holiday cheer.

Last year we enjoyed them for a treat, and then we let the leftover cookies dry out and we hung them on our Christmas tree. My kids loved it! Your kids will love to decorate them with you. We used regular buttercream frosting and added spice drops and m&m’s for the buttons. You could also use chocolate chips, red hots, raisins, or whatever you like.

Ingredients in Gingerbread Cookies

Some people shy away from gingerbread cookies because they think they are too hard! But these are not hard at all and you probably already have a lot of the ingredients in your kitchen! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the measurements.

  • Butter: I use unsalted butter that issoftened to room temperature. It will mix better when it’s softened.
  • Dark brown sugar: Make sure to pack this tightly as you measure it.
  • Sugar: This makes the cookies sweet.
  • Molasses: Useunsulphured molasses. This means it’s “pure” molasses and should be what you find at all of your local grocery stores.
  • Vanilla extract: This will enhance all of the sweet flavors.
  • Egg: A large, room temperature egg will work best for this.
  • Flour: All purpose flour works best.
  • Cinnamon, ginger and cloves: These spices are what will bring in that delicious holiday flavor.
  • Salt: The salt will also enhance the flavors of all of the other ingredients.
  • Baking powder: This is what helps these cookies get soft.
  • Milk: This is optional, use it if you need to moisten up the dough so that it will press together in your hands.
  • Frosting and candy: These are optional if you want to decorate your cookies!

Let’s Bake Some Cookies!

These gingerbread cookies are so good that you may want to bake a couple of batches all at once! Give them to your neighbors or have your kids decorate them as a Christmas activity. They are the best holiday cookie!

  1. Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 375° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Beat: In a large bowl beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Add in the molasses and mix until combined. Add in the vanilla and egg and beat until just barely combined.
  3. Mix flour and spices, then combine with wet ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking powder. Add the dry mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until combined. If the dough is very dry, add 2 tablespoons of milk to moisten it just enough to be able to press together with your hands.
  4. Roll and cut shapes: This dough does not need to be refrigerated, so go ahead and roll it out on a very lightly floured surface. Roll to 1/4 inch thick and cut out desired gingerbread shapes. Lay on the baking sheets with about an inch between the cookies. They shouldn’t spread as they bake.
  5. Bake: Bake for 7-9 minutes, until the center of the cookies is just barely baked. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Frost and decorate once cooled.
  6. Store leftovers: Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2)

Tips for Baking Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are so much fun this time of year! Here are a few tips for you to help them turn out perfectly!

  • Don’t overwork the dough: If you overmix your batter or roll your dough too many times then it can become tough. This will make your dough be too firm and not soft and chewy. Don’t over do it. Mix it until it’s combined and then leave it alone.
  • They shouldn’t spread: Your cookies shouldn’t spread in the oven. The flour should help keep them together in their exact shape. If you find that your cookies are speading then add a little bit more flour to your dough.
  • Underbake the cookies: Take your cookies out when they are a tiny bit softer in the center. Leave them on the baking sheet and they will finish cooking on it for a couple of minutes after you take them out of the oven!
Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (3)

Decorating Tips

Gingerbread cookies are the best because you can make them look exactly how you want! That’s why these are some of my kids favorite cookies to make. Here are a few things that you can use to decorate them!

  • Gumdrops (small ones)
  • Red hots
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Regular chocolate chips
  • Buttercream Frosting
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (4)

How to Store Leftovers

These gingerbread cookies can be made ahead of time and stored for later. Have them ready to decorate for a party by baking them beforehand. You can store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Or, you can even put them in the freezer and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (5)

More Holiday Treats to Try

Holiday treats are so festive and really add to all of the get togethers during the season. Try a few more of these holiday treats. There are enough that you can try each of them and have something different to bring to your parties every time! Merry Christmas!

Appetizers

Christmas Wreath Charcuterie

20 mins

Desserts

The Perfect Christmas Star Bread

1 hr 15 mins

Desserts

Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

33 mins

Desserts

Cranberry Christmas Cake

1 hr 15 mins

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Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

4 from 5 votes

By: Alyssa Rivers

Soft and chewy gingerbread cookiesare my favorite Christmas treat to decorate with my kids. They're just as delicious to eat as they are cute to look at!

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes minutes

Total Time: 34 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

  • In a large bowl beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Add in the molasses and mix until combined. Add in the vanilla and egg and beat until just barely combined.

  • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until combined. If the dough is very dry, add 2 tablespoons of milk to moisten it just enough to be able to press together with your hands.

  • This dough does not need to be refrigerated, so go ahead and roll it out on a very lightly floured surface. Roll to 1/4 inch thick and cut out desired gingerbread shapes. Lay on the baking sheets with about an inch between the cookies. They shouldn't spread as they bake.

  • Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the center of the cookies is just barely baked. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Frost and decorate once cooled.

  • Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In the bowl of amixer, beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter together until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for about 10 seconds to make sure everything is completely incorporated.

  • Add the vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar. Mix on low until the powdered sugar is moistened enough for you to increase the speed without it making a mess. Beat until smooth.

  • Decorate your gingerbread with arms, legs, face, and gumdrop buttons.

Notes

Updated on December 18, 2021

Originally Posted on November 23, 2018

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 140mgPotassium: 186mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 175IUCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

Read More About Me

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Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making soft and chewy cookies? ›

Double Your Yolks Most cookie recipes call for at least one egg. You can try omitting the white of each egg, which tends to dry out when baked, and replacing it with an additional yolk. Plus, egg yolks have more fat than egg whites, which helps to keep your cookies moist and chewy.

What makes gingerbread cookies hard or soft? ›

Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.” Cookbook author and ”Great American Baking Show” winner Vallery Lomas likes a gingerbread cookie that's packed with flavor. “I want to taste a lot of the spices ― especially ginger,” she said.

What makes cookies soft or chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

How do you make gingerbread harder? ›

The longer you bake the gingerbread, the harder and browner it will get. I like to overbake mine a little.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Cornstarch Is The Secret To Soft And Chewy Cookies.

What are three factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

Salted butter, softened – I prefer salted butter but you can also use unsalted and add an extra pinch of salt to the dough. Brown sugar – Just brown sugar because we will get the 'granulated sugar' flavor from the corn syrup. Corn syrup – The corn syrup is what makes these cookies CHEWY FOR DAYS.

Can you use maple syrup instead of molasses in gingerbread cookies? ›

Are there any substitutes for molasses? It won't taste exactly the same, but maple syrup can work in a pinch.

How to stop gingerbread from going soft? ›

Comments for gingerbread for houses getting too soft

My suggestion would be to bake them again in a low temperature oven to dry them out. I would start at 250 or 275 F. for about 40 min. Remember, when it cools it hardens.

What's the difference between gingerbread cookies and ginger cookies? ›

Introduced in colonial times, the main differences between Gingerbread and Ginger Snaps are a longer bake time for an extra crisp and the use of molasses versus sugar. Molasses was used as substitute for sugar as it was the more affordable alternative to sweetening.

What can cause a cookie to be not chewy enough? ›

17, 2021. The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

What to add to cookie mix to make them soft? ›

Brown Sugar

Adding moisture to your cookie dough can help make it softer and chewier, and stay soft for longer. That's why I use much more brown sugar than granulated sugar in this recipe. Learn how to DIY your own brown sugar and how to keep it soft in your pantry here.

What does adding egg yolk to cookies do? ›

A cookie made with extra egg yolk (or, in this case, only egg yolk), will be lighter and chewier than a cookie made with whole eggs. The cookies will also have a richer flavor thanks to the added fat in egg yolk.

Why did my gingerbread cookies come out hard? ›

Extra sugar made this cookie way too hard.

As was expected because of the extra brown sugar, this cookie looked dark in color and took on the texture of molasses.

What are the three types of gingerbread? ›

The three distinct types of gingerbread are brown gingerbread, wafer-based gingerbread and honey gingerbread.
  • BROWN GINGERBREAD.
  • WAFER GINGERBREAD.
  • HONEY GINGERBREAD.

Should gingerbread be hard or soft? ›

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

What is the trick to soften hard cookies? ›

Another way to soften cookies is by placing the cookies in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. The paper towel will release moisture and help to soften the cookies without making them too soft or mushy. Another way is to place the cookies in a plastic bag with a slice of apple or a damp tea towel.

Why are my cookies fluffy and not chewy? ›

Using the wrong type of flour (or just too much flour).

Using too much flour will make your cookies too cakey, so try reducing the flour amount by two tablespoons. Avoid using cake flour instead; try a mix of all-purpose flour and bread flour for a more dense and chewy texture.

Does baking soda or powder make cookies chewy? ›

Baking soda is generally about three times stronger than baking powder, so adjust your recipe accordingly. Baking soda and baking powder can produce cookies with different textures. Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies.

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