Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
These Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Cookies are the perfect festive treat, packed with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Soft yet crisp, these cookies feature a rich molasses flavor enhanced by aromatic spices, making them an ideal holiday bake to share with family and friends. With easy-to-follow instructions and simple ingredients, you can create classic gingerbread cookies that bring a cozy, nostalgic charm to your Christmas celebrations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes per batch
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: Approximately 36 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 and 1/2 cups (440g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup (160ml; about 200g) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; preferred Grandma’s brand)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened unsalted butter and packed brown sugar together on medium speed until light, fluffy, and well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients in batches, mixing on low speed until a uniform dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. This step helps the dough firm up and enhances the flavors.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters of your choice to cut out shapes, then transfer them carefully to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to brown. The centers should remain slightly soft.
- Cool Completely: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate and Serve: Once cooled, decorate as desired with icing, sprinkles, or leave plain. Store in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- For best flavor development, chill dough overnight.
- Do not substitute blackstrap molasses as it is too bitter and strong.
- If dough is too sticky to roll, lightly dust with flour but avoid adding too much.
- Cookies can be decorated with royal icing or simple powdered sugar glaze once cooled.
- Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating to prevent icing from melting.
Keywords: gingerbread cookies, Christmas cookies, holiday baking, molasses cookies, spiced cookies