This Classic Gingerbread Cookie Recipe is Perfect for Holiday Baking! (2024)

This Classic Gingerbread Cookies recipe includes molasses and makes soft, sweet and lightly spiced cookies. It’s the perfect cookie for shaping and decorating! We love making gingerbread men, Christmas trees and snowflakes, but really any shape would work!

Everyone asks for this recipe after they try it – even if they weren’t gingerbread cookie fans before. I’ve made this recipe at least 100 times and know that it’s perfect. Let me show you how to make the best gingerbread cookies in town. These are the stuff family traditions and memories are made of.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

You need this recipe and you need it stat! HUNDREDS of people have made and loved these cookies, just check out the comments below!

This recipe comes from my chef sister-in-law. Beth went to culinary school and her emphasis was baking! Seriously, she’s amazing. And now she’s my neighbor, how lucky is that.

Ingredients in Gingerbread Cookies:

• Butter: use the real stuff here, no margarine please! It gives it such a nice, chewy, soft texture and a richer flavor. Margarine just doesn’t cut it.
• White sugar: this helps the cookies to hold their shape and have a nice texture. It also gives the sweetness to balance the spice of warming ginger, cinnamon, and cloves!
• Egg: one of the keys to keeping these cookies soft and helps them rise just enough.
• Molasses: classic for gingerbread cookies’ color and deep flavor.
• White vinegar: helps the cookies to rise and stay soft, and I promise it doesn’t give any vinegar flavor.
• Flour: all-purpose white flour works the best for this recipe because it will rise best and creates a nice, soft texture.
• Spices: ginger, cinnamon, and cloves make this a warming and perfectly spiced cookie and offsets the sugar!

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies:

1. Cream butter, adding sugar gradually. Beat until well combined and light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar.
3. Sift all of the dry ingredients together and then blend sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
4. Divide the dough into two even pieces, wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 90 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Working in sections, roll the dough to 1/2″ thick on a floured surface; cut into desired shapes.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
7. Repeat with remaining dough.
8. Decorate (here are 6 Simple Ways to Decorate Gingerbread Cookiesif you are looking for some inspo).

Tips and Tricks

• How to make crispy gingerbread cookies: If you like your gingerbread on the crispy side, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick and bake for 11-12 minutes. If you like it nice and soft (though still very sturdy), roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and bake for 10 minutes. If you play around with the thickness of the dough and the baking time, you’ll discover a cookie that meets your liking. I really like these thick and soft.
• Butter + resting time: Use real butter because it really makes the softest, richest tasting cookie, and don’t forget the resting time in the fridge. The dough should be tacky but not gloopy like glue when you put it in the fridge. When it comes back out of the fridge, it should be very firm. Resting time and chilling the dough let’s it set up so that it’s easier to work with and holds its shape better. You can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days before using.
• Not for gingerbread houses: This is not a good gingerbread recipe for making gingerbread houses. The dough is too soft. I love making gingerbread houses and I normally use this How to Make a Gingerbread House recipe for a sturdy hard cookie that is good for construction.
• Cookie cutters: If you are in need of a cookie cutter set, I’ve had this one for almost 11 years and we use it all the time.

My favorite ways to decorate gingerbread cookies:

1. Royal icing to add pretty patterns, clothing and face details, and anything else your creativity sparks!
2. Candies for buttons, noses, eyes, or other festive designs.
3. Sprinkling sugars over top the icing to add some sparkle.
4. Rubber stamps for some printed designs.
5. Candy melts to top cookies with a chocolatey topping.
6. Sprinkles because sprinkles are always good on any cookie!

I wrote a huge post all about decorating these cookies if you want more specifics and details. You can find6 Simple Ways to Decorate Gingerbread Cookiesright here.

Can I freeze Gingerbread Cookies?

Yes! The baked cookies freeze very well. Just bake and cool (but do not add icing), store in a freezer bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to 6 weeks. You can pull the cookies out as needed when guests show up, or thaw the whole batch for decorating all at once. I froze bags and bags of these to prep for my neighbor goodie plates, and loved having the baking done ahead of time.

Can I make the cookie dough or cookies ahead of time?

Yes! The cookies will last 2-3 day ahead of time store in an air-tight container at room temperature. These are a great make-ahead cookie for parties! You can also make the dough and hold it in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking it.

I actually made these cookies for the county fair and they received a blue ribbon! I feel like stating that these are Blue Ribbon Cookies makes them pretty legit. Blue ribbon status is a big deal in my neck of the woods. 🙂

More Gingerbread Cookie recipes:

• The Best Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
• Perfect Gingerbread Cookies without Molasses
• 6 Simple Ways to Decorate Gingerbread Cookies
• White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies
• How to make a Gingerbread House (it’s a thicker sturdier dough!) + free house templates

New to gingerbread? Here’s a full video to help you make it!

And there you have it – one lovely gingerbread man cookie recipe, from my kitchen to yours. I’ve been so excited to share these with you since it’s cookie season. They will make you famous in your neck of the woods too. They are the stuff family memories are made of.