A family Christmas isn’t complete without a homemade gingerbread cookie. It’s easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought varieties. These cookies are also perfect for decorating with royal icing and cinnamon candies.
How to Make Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
This recipe is so simple to make and will take you no time at all. These cookies are incredibly soft and chewy and they are the perfect Christmas treat!
Start by mixing the dry ingredients in a large bowl. You’ll need flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices such as cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Stir together and set aside.
Mix together the wet ingredients in a medium-sized bowl with an electric mixer. Then add the butter and molasses. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, fold in the egg. This is essential, as it helps to bind the dough and ensure that the cookies don’t spread too much during baking.
Once the ingredients are well mixed, you’ll need to chill the dough for about 2 hours before baking it. This is important because it keeps the cookies from spreading during baking, which will result in tough cookies.
Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with a 5-inch cookie cutter and place on ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake until edges of the cookies are just beginning to turn golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a couple minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
If you prefer, you can skip this step and use a premade dough. You can find the dough for this recipe in the freezer section of most grocery stores.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
After the cookies have cooled, you can pipe or spoon on a little frosting to decorate them as desired. You can also dip them in melted chocolate.
The easiest way to decorate the cookies is to use a pastry bag filled with frosting. You can also do this by hand with a small plastic tube.
Decorate the cookies with sprinkles, sanding sugar, crushed candy canes or other festive decorations as you wish. Be sure to wait until the cookies are fully cooled before icing them, as they will melt quickly when they are warm.
These cookies are perfect for Christmas parties and they can be given in cellophane bags to give away. They are also delicious dipped in melted chocolate to make them even more festive!
You can easily make this recipe gluten-free. Just be sure to use a gluten-free flour blend, such as almond or coconut flour.
This is an excellent gluten-free cookie that will delight your family and friends!
This is the best gingerbread recipe I have tried, and it has been my go-to cookie for a long time. The cookies are soft and chewy, but they aren’t overly sweet. The molasses, vanilla extract and spices really come through in the taste of the cookies.