Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Here are my favorite soft gingerbread cookies thanks to their tender, chewy texture, cozy and warm spices, and delicate glaze. They're perfectly spiced and sweetened just right with brown sugar and molasses. It's a Christmas cookie recipe you'll come back to every year!
Servings: 22 cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
- Parchment paper (plenty of it!)
- Cookie Sheets
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutter
Ingredients
Soft Gingerbread Man Cookies
- 4 1/4 cups (531g) all-purpose flour, (Note 1) gluten-free if needed
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/4 cup (59ml) hot water
- 2/3 cup (160ml) blackstrap molasses
Vanilla Icing
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup (79ml) milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Dry ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients including the flour and all of the spices in a large bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Wet ingredients. Add the egg, molasses, and hot water, and then beat on high speed for another 1-2 minutes, until fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Beat on low until combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Chill the dough. Spread two large pieces of plastic wrap out on the counter. Separate the dough in half and place each on a piece of plastic wrap, flattening it out to form a disc. Wrap each disc in the plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Prep the cookie sheets. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the glaze. You’ll dip the warm cookies in the glaze, working quickly, so it’s best to have it ready. Whisk all the ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Roll and cut the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll out one of the discs between two more pieces of parchment paper to 1/2-inch thick. This will seem thicker than other cutout cookies, this is what you want. Cut the cookies out using a medium gingerbread man cut out. Roll the scraps into a ball and re-roll and cut out until all the dough is gone. Repeat with the second disc.
- Bake the cookies. Transfer the gingerbread man cookie dough to the prepared baking sheets. Working in batches, bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and set around the edges and no longer glossy on top.
- Prep for icing. While they’re baking, place a piece of parchment paper under a wire rack, or just set aside another piece of parchment paper if you don’t have a rack.
- Dip cookies in icing. When the cookies are done, allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes then immediately dip the tops of the baked cookies in the icing. If the cookies are starting o bend or break while you dip and pull them out, they need another minute or two in the oven (Note 2). Transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely and set. Repeat with all of the cookies.
Notes
Note 1. Flour. It’s always best to weigh your ingredients in baking for best results. If you measure them with cups, use the spoon and level method to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. We tested this recipe with regular flour and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour and they both were great.
Note 2. Bake time. The bake time can vary based on the exact thickness of your cookies and the oven. The cookies should be firm and hard enough to hold upside down in the icing and you should be able to pull it out without it bending or breaking. If they’re starting to bend on you, place them back in the oven for 1-2 minutes and adjust the bake time of the remaining cookies.
Alternate Icing Option: Use the royal icing recipe on our gluten-free dairy-free sugar cookies to decorate these gingerbread man cookies instead of icing them while they’re hot.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions: Store baked and iced cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked and iced (or not iced) cookies freeze well in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for an hour or so and enjoy. Freeze unbaked cookie dough discs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and follow the instructions to roll, cut, bake, and ice.
Special Tools: Cookie cutters, rolling pin, large baking sheets, parchment paper, cooling rack.
Icing inspiration came from Oh Sweet Basil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.6g | Protein: 3.2g | Fat: 5.1g | Cholesterol: 21.6mg | Sodium: 176.3mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 27.7g | Vitamin A: 42.9IU