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The Best Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

A close-up stack of three rich brown soft gingerbread cookies, heavily dusted with white powdered sugar.
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Make tender, bakery-style gingerbread cookies from scratch that stay soft for days. This easy recipe yields perfectly spiced cut-outs ideal for holiday baking and decorating.

Ingredients

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  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until combined.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. Chilling prevents spread.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place the cut-outs onto the prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. For softer cookies, err on the side of underbaking slightly.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Decorate with your favorite glaze or icing once fully cooled.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is essential for achieving thick, soft gingerbread cut outs that do not spread during baking.
  • For extra chewy gingerbread recipe results, slightly reduce the baking time.
  • Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain softness.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/soft-gingerbread-cookies-recipe/