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 Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (10)

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Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

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

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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

Cornstarch gives the cookies that ultra soft consistency we all love. Plus, it helps keep the cookies beautifully thick. We use the same trick when making shortbread cookies. Egg yolk: Another way to promise a super chewy chocolate chip cookie is to use an extra egg yolk.

Should gingerbread cookies 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!

How do I make my cookies chewy instead of crunchy? ›

How To Make Cookies Chewy Without Cornstarch
  1. Go heavy on brown sugar. It has more moisture than its granulated counterpart, which means the cookie comes out less crispy. ...
  2. Choose margarine or shortening instead of butter. ...
  3. Use baking powder instead of baking soda. ...
  4. Rest your dough. ...
  5. Shorten baking time.
May 14, 2023

What makes a cookie soft and chewy or crispy? ›

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 is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Use Corn Syrup

Before you freak out! Corn syrup (and not the high fructose kind) is kind of a baking miracle. It's what's called an invert sugar, meaning it's liquid at room temperature.

What are 3 factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

  • Brown sugar is key. Brown sugar has molasses in it which is like a more liquid ingredient. ...
  • Use baking soda / powder. It helps give your cookie a little rise which makes the center a little more chewy/cakey hence sort.
  • Freeze your cookie dough before scooping.
May 17, 2018

Should gingerbread dough be chilled before baking? ›

Mistake #2: Not resting your dough

After the gingerbread is cut out, Lomas recommends putting it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to three days. Chilling the dough before it goes into a hot oven gives the butter a chance to firm up and reduces how much it spreads when baking.

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.

How do you know when soft gingerbread cookies are done? ›

It's harder to tell when gingerbread dough is golden brown as it's darker. If you touch the top of the cookie and it's nice and dry, the cookies are done.

What does brown sugar do in cookies? ›

Brown sugar

Brown sugar is also hygroscopic (more so than granulated sugar) and will therefore also attract and absorb the liquid in the dough. The difference is in the molasses that makes brown sugar brown: It adds moisture and slight acidity, resulting in a moist and chewy texture.

What makes cookies rubbery? ›

Eggs bind the ingredients and make for moist, chewy cookies. Adding too many eggs can result in gummy, cake-like cookies. Adding too few eggs can result in dry, crumbly cookies.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What ingredient contributes most to the texture of a crisp cookie? ›

Fat is a very important ingredient in cookies – it tenderizes, crisps and browns, adds color and a wonderful flavor that is impossible to duplicate. Butter, our fat of choice, ensures good baking results and adds the most desirable taste, texture and appearance.

Why do you put corn syrup in cookies? ›

So, when you mix corn syrup into your cookie batter, all of that moisture will make and keep your baked cookies deliciously tender. The texture of cookies benefits from corn syrup as well. As you combine your ingredients to make your cookie batter, corn syrup will pull some of the surrounding air into your batter.

What makes a cookie more soft? ›

What Makes Cookies Soft?
  1. Brown sugar, as it has a high moisture content and retains moisture better than white sugar. ...
  2. Shortening instead of butter or in addition to butter. ...
  3. Baking powder instead of baking soda. ...
  4. Eggs, particularly egg yolks. ...
  5. Cake flour instead of all-purpose flour.
Oct 5, 2020

What determines the moistness of a cookie? ›

Butter contributes milk solids and water to a cookie, both of which soften it. Brown sugar contributes molasses – again, a softener. Using lower-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (vegetable shortening), plus a longer, slower bake than normal, produces light, crunchy cookies.

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