I finally nailed Chewy Ginger Bread Cookies with a pantry-friendly shortcut and a tiny baking secret that always works.

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I always thought ginger cookies had to be crisp, until I nailed this Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookie. I tweaked a few simple moves and now get that soft, chewy bite that makes you go back for another.

The warm snap of ground ginger and the deep, almost mysterious molasses hang in the air like a hint of trouble, making each bite more interesting. I call these my Chewy Ginger Bread Cookies because friends actually beg for the recipe, and I swear there’s one tiny trick that keeps them tender even the next day, but I’m not telling everything, you’ll have to try them.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: provides carbs for structure, little fiber, makes dough sturdy and chewy.
Cornstarch: adds extra chew and tenderness mostly starch no real protein or fiber.
Unsalted butter: rich fat gives moisture and flavor, high calories but great cookie mouthfeel.
Brown sugar: sweetens and keeps chewiness, contains some minerals from molasses mostly sucrose.
Molasses: deep flavor adds moisture and color, small amounts of iron and potassium.
Egg: binds ingredients adds protein and lift, helps texture and slight richness.
Spice mix: ginger cinnamon cloves provide aromatic warmth tiny antioxidants low calories mainly flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour

1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch (for extra chewiness)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar, light works too

1/2 cup (160 g) unsulphured molasses

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk (if dough needs a little loosening)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat so cookies don’t stick.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg if using, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Set dry mix aside.

3. In a large bowl beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup packed dark brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape sides so it mixes evenly.

4. Add 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined. If the molasses is thick warm it briefly so it pours easier.

5. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, mixing just until there are no big streaks of flour. Overmixing will make them tough, so stop when it’s mostly combined.

6. If the dough feels rock hard add up to 2 tablespoons milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is soft enough to scoop but not sticky. The cornstarch keeps them chewy so don’t skip it.

7. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight for better flavor and less spreading. Chilling is a big trick so trust me on this, it helps retain chewiness.

8. Scoop or roll dough into about 1 1/2 tablespoon balls, place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and gently press each ball down a little so they bake evenly.

9. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Don’t overbake if you want them soft and chewy, they firm up as they cool.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two baking sheets, plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Medium bowl for the dry mix and a large bowl for creaming the butter/sugar
4. Whisk for the dry ingredients and measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale for accuracy)
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon if you dont have one
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl and folding in the flour
7. Cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp) or a tablespoon to portion dough
8. Wire cooling rack and plastic wrap or a bowl cover for chilling the dough in the fridge

FAQ

Q: How do I make these gingerbread cookies extra chewy?
A: Use the cornstarch, packed dark brown sugar and molasses the recipe calls for, chill the dough at least 30 minutes, and dont overbake them. Bake until the edges are set but centers still look a little soft, then let them cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes so they finish cooking. If you want more chew, add one extra egg yolk or swap 2 tablespoons of flour for another tablespoon cornstarch.

Q: Can I freeze the dough or finished cookies?
A: Yes. Scoop dough into balls, flash freeze on a tray until firm then store in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2 to 4 minutes to baking time. Baked cookies freeze well too, keep them in an airtight container up to 3 weeks, thaw at room temp.

Q: My cookies spread too much, what went wrong?
A: Most likely the butter was too soft or the dough was too warm. Chill the dough before baking, make sure your oven is fully preheated to 350°F and use a cold baking sheet. Also dont grease the sheet, use parchment or silicone. If you used light molasses or too much, that can make them flatter so measure carefully.

Q: Can I swap the molasses or the brown sugar?
A: Light brown sugar works fine in place of dark, but flavor will be milder. Unsulphured molasses is best for classic taste, blackstrap is too strong. If you dont have molasses, you can use 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup or 1/4 cup maple syrup in a pinch but the flavor and chew will change.

Q: How do I get crisp edges but soft centers?
A: Make slightly larger cookies, flatten gently with your hand so edges are thinner, then bake until edges look set and centers are still slightly glossy. Let them cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, they firm up while staying soft inside. Cornstarch helps keep the center tender.

Q: Dough cracks when I roll or cut it, how do I fix that?
A: That means it needs more moisture or time to relax. Let it sit at room temp 10 minutes or press a tablespoon of milk into the dough and knead gently. Chilling makes it easier to cut but if it cracks after chilling warm it a bit with your hands. Roll between two sheets of parchment to avoid sticking and tearing.

Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with bread flour 1:1 for extra chew, or use a cup-for-cup gluten free blend plus 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if you need it gluten free.
1 tablespoon cornstarch: use arrowroot or potato starch 1:1 for the same tender, chewy texture.
1 cup packed dark brown sugar: if you’re out, use 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tbsp molasses (1 tbsp for light brown) to mimic the flavor and moisture.
1 large egg: for a vegan binder mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes till gelled, it works well though cookies may be slightly denser.

Pro Tips

1. Measure flour the right way: scoop it into your measuring cup then level it off with a knife or better yet weigh it if you can, otherwise youll end up with dry, cakey cookies. Pack the brown sugar firmly so the molasses ratio stays right.

2. Warm the molasses a few seconds in the microwave if its super thick, it mixes way easier and you wont overwork the dough trying to get it combined. Same goes for cold butter, get it soft not melted or your cookies will spread weird.

3. Chill the dough at least an hour, overnight is even better, it really concentrates the flavor and cuts down spreading so the centers stay chewy. When you scoop, press each ball down a little so they bake evenly, otherwise the outside can get crisp before the middle sets.

4. Don’t overmix once you add flour, stop when you still see little streaks, overworking makes them tough. Pull them out of the oven when the edges look set but centers still look a bit soft, they firm up as they cool so dont bake til totally brown.

5. For keeping them soft, store in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a damp paper towel in there for a day or two, it really helps retain moisture. If they get a bit stale just 8-10 seconds in the microwave or 3-4 minutes at low oven heat brings back the chewiness.

Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally nailed Chewy Ginger Bread Cookies with a pantry-friendly shortcut and a tiny baking secret that always works.

Servings

servings

Calories

100

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two baking sheets, plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Medium bowl for the dry mix and a large bowl for creaming the butter/sugar
4. Whisk for the dry ingredients and measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale for accuracy)
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon if you dont have one
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl and folding in the flour
7. Cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp) or a tablespoon to portion dough
8. Wire cooling rack and plastic wrap or a bowl cover for chilling the dough in the fridge

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch (for extra chewiness)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar, light works too
1/2 cup (160 g) unsulphured molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk (if dough needs a little loosening)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat so cookies don't stick.
In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg if using, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Set dry mix aside.
In a large bowl beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup packed dark brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape sides so it mixes evenly.
Add 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined. If the molasses is thick warm it briefly so it pours easier.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, mixing just until there are no big streaks of flour. Overmixing will make them tough, so stop when it's mostly combined.
If the dough feels rock hard add up to 2 tablespoons milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is soft enough to scoop but not sticky. The cornstarch keeps them chewy so don't skip it.
Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight for better flavor and less spreading. Chilling is a big trick so trust me on this, it helps retain chewiness.
Scoop or roll dough into about 1 1/2 tablespoon balls, place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and gently press each ball down a little so they bake evenly.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Don’t overbake if you want them soft and chewy, they firm up as they cool.

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.