A Holiday Classic You'll Love
When the scent of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses fills the air, you know the holidays are here. These Gingerbread Cookies are soft, full of warm spices, and perfect for decorating with family. Whether you love intricate icing designs or simple sugar sprinkles, this recipe delivers festive cookies that taste as good as they look.
Why You'll Love This Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- Perfectly spiced - A blend of ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
- Soft & chewy - Ideal texture for decorating and eating.
- Make-ahead friendly - Dough chills well for up to 24 hours.
- Festive & fun - Great for holiday baking parties.
The Secret to Perfect Ingredients
For the best gingerbread cookies, use fresh spices and quality molasses. Unsweetened applesauce keeps the cookies moist without extra fat. For icing, fresh lemon juice balances the sweetness of powdered sugar.
Essential Tools
- Electric mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets with parchment
- Piping bags for icing
Mastering the Dough & Baking
- Cream ingredients: Beat butter, brown sugar, and applesauce until smooth.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in egg and molasses.
- Combine dry mix: Whisk flour, baking soda, and spices separately.
- Chill the dough: Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Roll & cut: Dust surface with flour, roll to ¼ inch, and cut shapes.
- Bake & cool: 350°F for 10-12 minutes; cool before decorating.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Too sticky? Add a light dusting of flour when rolling.
- Too hard? Reduce baking time by 1-2 minutes for softer cookies.
- Uneven shapes? Chill dough between batches to keep it firm.
Creative Variations
- Add orange zest to the dough for a citrus twist.
- Dip half the cookie in melted dark chocolate.
- Use colored royal icing for themed designs.
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 32 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
Soft and spiced gingerbread cookies made with ginger, cinnamon, molasses, and a touch of applesauce for moisture. Perfect for decorating during the holidays and full of festive flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup dark molasses
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 ½ tbsp egg whites
- ¼ tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Pinch cream of tartar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and applesauce until smooth.
- Mix in the egg and molasses until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to ¼ inch on a floured surface. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
- Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Cool completely before decorating.
- For the icing: Beat egg whites and lemon juice until frothy, then gradually mix in powdered sugar and cream of tartar until smooth. Adjust consistency with more sugar or a drop of water if needed.
- Pipe or spread icing on cooled cookies and decorate as desired.
Notes
For softer cookies, reduce bake time by 1-2 minutes. Dough can be made ahead and chilled for up to 24 hours. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes + 2 hours chill
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cookies
- Calories: 133
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 1.7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29.8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1.9g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes, chill up to 24 hours.
How to store?
Keep in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, freeze baked cookies up to 2 months.
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