Description
These Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies are infused with warm spices and molasses for a traditional holiday treat with a soft texture. Perfect for decorating with cream cheese frosting and candy, they bake quickly and are easy to make without needing refrigeration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Unsulphured Molasses
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Milk, if needed
Frosting
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- Candy for decorating, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Set these aside while preparing the dough.
- Mix Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined and creamy. This will create a smooth base for the cookies.
- Add Molasses, Vanilla, and Egg: Incorporate the molasses into the sugar mixture and mix thoroughly. Then add the vanilla extract and egg, beating just until combined to maintain a tender dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, salt, and baking powder. This mixture will give the cookies their signature spicy flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. If the dough feels too dry and crumbly, add up to 2 tablespoons of milk to help it come together enough to roll out.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a very lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out gingerbread shapes and place them about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies won’t spread much during baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the centers are just set but still soft. Remove from oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: In a mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides to ensure all ingredients are mixed well.
- Add Vanilla, Salt, and Powdered Sugar: Add vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed first to avoid sugar dusting, then increase speed and beat until smooth and spreadable.
- Decorate Cookies: Once cookies have completely cooled, frost them with the cream cheese frosting and decorate with candy to create fun gingerbread figures with arms, legs, faces, and gumdrop buttons.
- Store Cookies: Store the gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months for extended freshness.
Notes
- Do not refrigerate the dough as it is ready to roll and cut immediately after mixing.
- If the dough feels too brittle, add milk a tablespoon at a time to soften it.
- Baking time is short to keep cookies soft; avoid overbaking for chewy texture.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent cookies from sticking and help with easy cleanup.
- Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or freeze to preserve freshness.
- The cream cheese frosting should be applied only after cookies have completely cooled to prevent melting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
