Last updated: November 13, 2026.
Soft gingerbread cookies get their flavor from molasses and warm spices — ginger, cinnamon, and cloves — and their tender texture from chilling the dough before rolling. This recipe keeps the cookies soft for days instead of crisp, with simple shapes that decorate easily for Christmas.
If you have never made gingerbread cookies at home, this is the version to start with. The dough comes together in one bowl, chills while you do something else, and rolls out without cracking. The whole secret is the chill: cold dough holds its shape in the oven, so your gingerbread men come out with arms and legs intact instead of spreading into blobs.
Gingerbread cookies belong in our holiday dessert recipes collection, and they are the cookie to bake when December arrives — the Christmas cookie, the one for decorating with kids, the one that fills the house with spice. If you are still choosing what to bake, our dessert recipes hub has the full list of ideas.
Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Cookies
- Soft for days. Chilling the dough and slightly underbaking keeps the centers tender — these are soft cookies, not crisp ones.
- Shapes that hold. Cold dough keeps its edges in the oven, so gingerbread men come out with arms and legs intact.
- Easy dough. One bowl, no special equipment, and the dough waits in the fridge for up to 3 days until you are ready to roll.
- Made for decorating. Simple shapes with a smooth surface take royal icing beautifully — the classic Christmas activity.
- Freezer-friendly. Freeze the dough or the baked cookies for up to 3 months, so a batch is always ready for the holidays.
Ingredients
Dough
- 360 g (3 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g (3/4 cup) packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) unsulfured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — where to buy
To decorate
- Royal icing, for decorating once the cookies are fully cool
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Rolling pin — where to buy
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets lined with parchment paper — where to buy
- Piping bags and tips, for royal icing — where to buy
- Wire rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1 — Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Set the bowl aside.
Step 2 — Beat the Butter and Sugar
Beat the softened butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the molasses and vanilla, until smooth.
Step 3 — Make and Chill the Dough
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until a soft dough forms — stop as soon as no flour is visible. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days).
Step 4 — Preheat and Line the Sheets
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies lift off cleanly.
Step 5 — Roll and Cut the Shapes
Roll one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets, re-rolling the scraps once.
Step 6 — Bake and Cool
Bake one tray at a time for 8–10 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7 — Decorate with Royal Icing
Decorate with royal icing once the cookies are fully cool — the icing slides off warm cookies. Keep the designs simple: outlines, dots and a few sprinkles go a long way.
Step 8 — Serve and Store
Serve the decorated cookies, or store them airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week. Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months and decorate after thawing.
Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Cookies
- Chill firmly. Two hours is the minimum — cold dough is what keeps cut shapes from spreading in the oven.
- Underbake slightly. Pull the cookies out while the centers still look soft; they firm up as they cool and stay tender for days.
- Roll between parchment. Rolling between two sheets of parchment avoids adding extra flour, which dries the cookies out.
- Re-roll scraps once. A second rolling is fine, but a third makes tough cookies — bake the last scraps as rustic rounds instead.
- Cool fully before icing. Royal icing slides straight off a warm cookie. Wait until the cookies are completely cool to the touch.
- A slice of bread keeps them soft. Store the cookies airtight with a slice of bread in the tin — the bread gives up its moisture to the cookies.
Storage, Make-Ahead and Freezing
- Room temperature: store airtight for up to 1 week — the cookies stay soft, especially with a slice of bread in the tin.
- Make ahead: the dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Slice off what you need, let it soften for a few minutes, and roll.
- Freezing baked cookies: freeze in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Freezing dough: wrap the dough discs well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Variations
- Spicier cookies. Add 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper or nutmeg for a sharper spice note.
- Milder cookies. Replace half the molasses with dark corn syrup for a gentler flavor — the texture will be a little softer.
- Salted butter. Salted butter works — reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Chocolate-dipped. Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted dark chocolate and let it set for a festive finish.
- Gingerbread sandwich cookies. Spread buttercream between two plain cookies for a soft, creamy sandwich.
Nutrition
One cookie (1 of 24) has about 160 calories, 25 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 6 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 11 g sugar, 1 g fiber and 55 mg sodium. Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Dietary notes: Contains wheat (gluten), egg, and milk. Spice-forward but not spicy-hot — cloves can be reduced for kids.
| Calories | 160 |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Saturated fat | 3 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sodium | 55 mg |
How we write our recipes: Every Desert Dishes recipe is written with US home cooks in mind — ingredients are given in cups and grams, temperatures in Fahrenheit and Celsius, and times are stated as ranges where ovens vary. Our Recipe Testing Policy explains how recipes are checked and corrected. Found an error? Contact us and we will fix it — see our Corrections Policy.
FAQ
How do you keep gingerbread cookies soft?
Chill the dough before rolling, roll to about 1/4 inch, and pull the cookies from the oven while the centers still look slightly soft — they finish setting as they cool. Store them airtight with a slice of bread to hold in moisture.
Can gingerbread dough be made ahead?
Yes — gingerbread dough keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Slice off what you need, let it soften for a few minutes, and roll.
How long do gingerbread cookies stay fresh?
Kept airtight at room temperature, these cookies stay soft for about a week. For longer storage, freeze them undecorated for up to 3 months and decorate after thawing.
Can I freeze gingerbread cookies?
Yes. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating or serving.
Times, servings and nutrition values are standard guidance and may vary.
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Set the bowl aside.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the molasses and vanilla, until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until a soft dough forms — stop as soon as no flour is visible. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days).
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies lift off cleanly.
- Roll one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets, re-rolling the scraps once.
- Bake one tray at a time for 8–10 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with royal icing once the cookies are fully cool — the icing slides off warm cookies. Keep the designs simple: outlines, dots and a few sprinkles go a long way.
- Serve the decorated cookies, or store them airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week. Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months and decorate after thawing.
Notes
More Recipes to Try
More from Desert Dishes — try these next:
- Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe (Soft & Chewy Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies) — soft, chewy cinnamon-sugar cookies with a crackled top.
- Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe (Soft & Chewy) — soft, chewy oatmeal cookies with plump raisins.
- Best Sugar Cookies Recipe (Soft & Easy) — soft, easy sugar cookies — the other cookie-jar classic.
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (Soft, Chewy & Easy) — soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies, the other cookie-jar classic.
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft, Gooey & Homemade) — soft, gooey cinnamon rolls with a sweet glaze.
