The first time I made these soft gingerbread cookies, my entire kitchen instantly smelled like Christmas—warm cinnamon, spicy ginger, sweet molasses, and that nostalgic scent that makes you feel like you’re wrapped up in a big holiday hug. I remember pulling the first tray out of the oven and being amazed at how pillowy and thick the cookies looked. When I bit into one while it was still warm, the soft texture and deep gingerbread flavor made me close my eyes and smile. It felt like discovering my new favorite holiday treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this recipe because it gives you the softest, most tender gingerbread cookies without any complicated steps, rolling, or special cutters. From my own experience, these cookies taste like they came straight from a bakery—even friends who claim they don’t love gingerbread end up devouring them. They’re cozy, rich, festive, and incredibly easy to decorate.
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 2 ¾ cups flour
Icing:
- 2 tbsp meringue powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup water
I’ve experimented with using both dark and light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses flavor that tastes incredible in these cookies. If you can’t find meringue powder for the icing, you can use a simple vanilla glaze instead, but the meringue-based icing hardens beautifully and makes decorating super easy. Fresh spices make a huge difference—old cinnamon and ginger won’t give the cookies that warm holiday punch, so don’t skip restocking your spices if needed.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cooling racks
- Piping bag or zipper bag for icing
A stand mixer makes creaming the butter and sugar effortless, but a hand mixer works perfectly too—I’ve used both many times. Parchment paper ensures the cookies bake evenly and never stick to the pan. Icing these cookies is easiest with a piping bag, but when I’m feeling lazy or don’t want extra dishes, I snip the end off a zipper bag and pipe from that. Simple, cheap, and effective.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I make these soft gingerbread cookies, I start by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until the mixture becomes fluffy and lighter in color. This step makes a huge difference in the final cookie texture—if you under-cream, your cookies won’t puff up as beautifully. Once the butter and sugar look perfect, I add the molasses, eggs, and vanilla. The mixture turns a rich caramel color, and the moment the molasses hits the bowl, the aroma gives me instant cozy vibes.(See the next page below to continue…)