Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

These are the soft gingerbread cookies that make your house smell like a holiday candle and your neighbors suspiciously friendly. They’re plush in the middle, sparkly on the outside, and warm with molasses and spices like you finally remembered where you put the cozy. They taste like December, but the kind of December where your cookies don’t shatter into edible shrapnel. No chilling. No rolling pins. No “I swear they were soft yesterday.” Just scoop, roll, bake, and pretend you didn’t eat three for “quality control.”

Last week, I told my husband to keep the kids occupied while I “tested” this recipe again, which is code for “I want to lick beaters in peace.” Fifteen minutes later, my kitchen looked like a molasses crime scene. One child thought the brown sugar was sand (she built a castle), the other licked the measuring spoon mid-pour (immunity building, I guess), and my husband asked if blackstrap molasses was the same as “normal molasses.” It’s not. Unless you like your cookies with the energy of a Dickensian orphan. We recovered, swapped in the good stuff, and now I’ve claimed the cooling rack as a no-fly zone enforced by my mom glare and a wooden spoon I pretend is a wand.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Use room-temp butter from the “microwave it for 8 seconds and hope for the best” school of culinary arts.
– Skip sifting. Whisk the dry stuff like you mean it and call it aeration.
– Roll dough balls in granulated sugar right in the bowl—swirl-and-go instead of plate number seven.
– Portion with a small ice cream scoop so the cookies match, unlike my children’s socks.
– Freeze pre-rolled dough balls. Bake straight from frozen, add 1–2 minutes, and pretend you planned ahead.

Serving Ideas

– Dunk in hot coffee if you’re an adult. Dunk in milk if you’re pretending.
– Sandwich with cream cheese frosting if you’re feeling extra—or you’re bribing someone to do homework.
– Crumble over vanilla ice cream. Boom: dessert that looks intentional.
– Serve with wine if the kids drove you nuts. Red pairs with ginger; sanity pairs with silence.
– Or keep it simple: warm cookie + couch + your show you “aren’t watching without me.” Whoops.

What to Serve It With

– Spiced chai, hot cocoa, or a little bourbon situation if the in-laws are on their way.
– A fruit plate to suggest balance before you eat four more.
– Sharp cheddar or aged gouda—trust me, the sweet-spice with salty cheese slaps.
– Fresh citrus segments (orange or clementine) because ginger + orange = besties.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap. Blackstrap is for people who like their cookies to lecture them.
– Don’t overbake. Pull them when the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft; they firm up as they cool.
– Spice bravely: cinnamon, ginger, a whisper of cloves or allspice. Too timid = bland winter sadness.
– Chill 10 minutes if your kitchen is hot and dough feels sticky. Not required, just helpful.
– Roll in coarse sugar for extra crunch sparkle. It’s like glitter, but edible and won’t haunt you forever.
– Lining sheets with parchment makes clean up easy and prevents over-browning.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.
– Room temp: Airtight container, 3–4 days. Toss in a slice of bread to keep them soft (bread sacrifices itself; hero).
– Freezer: Baked cookies freeze up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter or microwave 10–12 seconds.
– Freeze dough balls for fresh-baked magic anytime. No thawing needed; add a smidge to bake time.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Sugar ↔ honey: Swap part of the brown sugar with honey for extra chew; reduce molasses slightly if you do.
– Butter ↔ oil: Melted coconut oil works; flavor changes a bit, texture stays tender.
– Flour: A 1:1 gluten-free baking blend usually behaves—chill the dough 20 minutes if it’s soft.
– Spices: Add cardamom, nutmeg, or orange zest if you’re feeling wild.
– Chocolate: Fold in dark chocolate chunks or white chocolate chips for a “who is she?” moment.
– Deconstructed: Skip rolling in sugar and press the scoops with a damp glass. It still counts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

These easy, no-chill gingerbread cookies bake up with soft, pillowy centers and lightly crisp edges. Warm spices, rich molasses, and brown sugar make them melt-in-your-mouth delicious—perfect for holidays or any cozy baking day.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2.75 cup all-purpose flour spoon and level
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• ▢ 0.75 cup packed brown sugar light or dark
• ▢ 0.5 cup molasses unsulphured, not blackstrap
• ▢ 1 large egg room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.25 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 0.25 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat in molasses, egg, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth and creamy.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low just until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels overly sticky, mix in a small sprinkle of flour.
• Scoop dough into 1.5 tablespoon portions, roll into balls, then roll each in granulated sugar to coat.
• Arrange on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set and tops are puffed with slight cracks. Do not overbake for soft centers.
• Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Notes

For the softest texture, pull the cookies as soon as the edges set and the centers are puffed; they will finish setting on the sheet. Use unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap) for classic flavor. If making ahead, scoop and freeze dough balls, then bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.