Print

The Ultimate Soft & Chewy Cut-Out Gingerbread Cookies (No Cracks, Stays Soft for Days)

A stack of dark brown, crinkled soft gingerbread cookies lightly dusted with sugar, resting in a small ceramic bowl.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

You will make the best soft gingerbread cookies with this easy recipe. These chewy gingerbread cookies are perfectly spiced with molasses and hold their shape for decorating, staying soft for days after baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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 granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Set this dry mixture aside.
  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. 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 1 hour. This step helps the cookies hold their shape for cutting.
  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 about 1/4-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
  8. Carefully transfer the cut-out gingerbread shapes to the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. For the softest cookies, err on the side of underbaking slightly. The edges should look set but the centers should still appear soft.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Once cool, you can decorate your homemade gingerbread men or spiced molasses cookies with royal icing.

Notes

  • To keep these cookies soft for several days, store them in an airtight container at room temperature with a slice of bread or a small piece of apple. The moisture from the bread/apple transfers to the cookies.
  • If you skip the chilling time, the dough will be sticky and the cookies will spread more, resulting in less defined cut-out shapes.
  • For a stronger spice flavor, increase the ginger to 1 1/2 tablespoons.

Nutrition

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