I love creating Christmas Gingerbread Cookies that bring a spark of celebration. The blend of ginger, cinnamon and molasses produces an aroma that fills my kitchen with anticipation of joyful gatherings. Each cookie holds a promise of fun, inviting family and friends to share creative, delicious moments that brighten any day.

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I’m really excited to share my Easiest Gingerbread Cookies recipe with you. I discovered this way back when I was looking for a foolproof method for making gingerbread men and festive cookie wreaths.

The ingredients are super simple – I mix 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves together. Then, I cream 3/4 cup unsalted butter with 3/4 cup dark brown sugar until they form a light mixture before adding a large egg, 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

I know it sounds like a lot but trust me the process is easy enough that even if you mess up a bit here and there, your cookies will still turn out delicious. I love playing around with decorating ideas and experimenting with different designs to create cute Christmas cookies and gingerbread decorations that really brighten up the kitchen.

Enjoy!

Why I Like this Recipe

I really like this recipe because it is super easy to follow. The steps seem simple and I dont feel overwhelmed even if I’m not the best baker. I love how the spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves make the cookies smell amazing and remind me of cozy family times. Also, the idea of cutting the dough into fun shapes like gingerbread men or a cookie wreath lets me be creative, which always makes baking more enjoyable for me. Lastly, the recipe is pretty forgiving so even when I mess up a step, it still turns out yummy.

Ingredients

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All-purpose flour is a carb source that gives the cookies structure and body.
Dark brown sugar is packed with carbohydrates; it adds sweetness and a moist texture.
Unsalted butter adds richness and tenderness derived from fats, making every bite smooth.
Molasses offers a unique tangy sweet flavor, depth and body that elevates traditional gingerbread.
The egg provides protein and helps bind ingredients, ensuring a consistent cookie texture.
Ginger, cinnamon and cloves deliver bold, warming notes with minor antioxidant perks.

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make this

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1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. In a larger bowl, beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar until creamy.

4. Add 1 large egg, 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix well.

5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while stirring until everything is well combined.

6. Once the dough starts to come together, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead it gently until smooth.

7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour; this makes it easier to roll out later.

8. After chilling, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes like gingerbread men, trees or even a festive wreath design.

9. Place the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each.

10. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are firm. Let them cool on a wire rack before decorating if desired. Enjoy!

Equipment Needed

1. Preheated oven along with a couple of baking sheets
2. Parchment paper to line the baking sheets
3. A medium bowl and a sifter for the dry ingredients
4. A larger bowl for beating the butter and sugar
5. An electric mixer or a whisk for mixing the wet ingredients
6. A spatula or wooden spoon for stirring the dough
7. A lightly floured work surface for kneading and rolling out the dough
8. Plastic wrap to chill the dough
9. A rolling pin to roll out the dough
10. Cookie cutters to shape your gingerbread designs
11. A cooling rack to let your cookies cool down after baking

FAQ

Q: How long can i store these cookies? A: If you keep them in an airtight container, they should stay fresh for about a week.

Q: Can i freeze the dough? A: Yes, the dough freezes good for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw out fully before baking.

Q: Do i need a special pan? A: Nah, any regular cookie sheet works just fine.

Q: Is there a substitute for molasses? A: You can try mixing honey with dark brown sugar, but it might change the flavor a bit.

Q: How thin should i roll the dough? A: Rolling it out to about 1/4 inch thick is perfect for a nice balance between crisp edges and a chewy center.

Easiest Gingerbread Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

If you dont have all-purpose flour, you can swap out up to 25% with whole wheat flour. This may make the cookies a bit denser but still tasty.
If you’re out of unsalted butter, you can use salted butter instead, but just reduce the salt in the recipe a bit.
You can use light brown sugar in place of dark brown sugar. Just mix in a little extra molasses (about 1/2 teaspoon per cup) to get a similar flavor.
If you cant find unsulfured molasses, try using honey as a substitute. It will change the taste a bit but will work in a pinch.
Almond extract can be used instead of vanilla extract. It gives the cookies a nice, nutty flavor twist if you like that sort of thing.

Pro Tips

1. Make sure to chill the dough for at least an hour before rolling it out, cuz it really helps the shapes keep their form and stops the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
2. When rolling out the dough, use just a light dusting of flour on your surface so the cookies stay tender but don’t end up overly dry from using too much flour.
3. Keep a close eye on the baking time; even an extra minute in the oven can make the edges too hard, so check them around the 8 minute mark if you can.
4. If you dont have rigid cookie cutters, try using a sharp knife or even your hand to gently cut shapes; sometimes a little improv makes the cookies have more personality.

Easiest Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

150

kcal

Equipment: 1. Preheated oven along with a couple of baking sheets
2. Parchment paper to line the baking sheets
3. A medium bowl and a sifter for the dry ingredients
4. A larger bowl for beating the butter and sugar
5. An electric mixer or a whisk for mixing the wet ingredients
6. A spatula or wooden spoon for stirring the dough
7. A lightly floured work surface for kneading and rolling out the dough
8. Plastic wrap to chill the dough
9. A rolling pin to roll out the dough
10. Cookie cutters to shape your gingerbread designs
11. A cooling rack to let your cookies cool down after baking

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
In a larger bowl, beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar until creamy.
Add 1 large egg, 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix well.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while stirring until everything is well combined.
Once the dough starts to come together, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead it gently until smooth.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour; this makes it easier to roll out later.
After chilling, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes like gingerbread men, trees or even a festive wreath design.
Place the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are firm. Let them cool on a wire rack before decorating if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.