You are going to love this gingerbread cookies recipe because it makes a really soft cookie! It’s packed with flavor from the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. And I really like how dense the cookie is – no icing needed. (Unless you want to.)
Table of Contents
Why I Love These Cookies
When I think of gingerbread cookies I think of a cookie that is rich in spices like ginger snaps. And honestly, in the past, I’ve felt like many gingerbread men have too strong of a flavor. So when I created this recipe by merging my favorite sugar cookie cut-outs with an all-time favorite molasses cake – I found the best gingerbread cookie recipe!
- This gingerbread cookies recipe does not produce your typical snappy crunch gingerbread that makes for sturdy walls in a decorated house. Instead, they are slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside – just as I prefer a cookie to be. (They are as delicious as these old fashioned chewy molasses cookies.)
- The spice is there, but not overpowering. My kids love them! They are also not overly sweet, so the icing would pair nicely.
- The most unique thing about these cookies? Absolutely no butter or shortening needed. The secret is in the unique blending of canola oil and blackstrap molasses.
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Ingredients
These cookies are rather simple with only 10 ingredients. Most of the ingredients you probably have on hand. There are a few unique additions that are key to this recipe.
- Blackstrap Molasses – Blackstrap has a stronger flavor than regular un-sulfured molasses. No shortcuts here, get the blackstrap molasses.
- Dark Brown Sugar – Make sure to use this type of brown sugar as it has more moisture because of the additional molasses. It also has a bit of a caramel flavor which adds to the cookies.
- Canola Oil – Similar to vegetable oil, I prefer using canola because it’s lower in saturated fat and blends well with the sugar.
How to Make The Best Gingerbread Cookies (VIDEO)
Step by Step Tutorial
- Mix together the oil, brown sugar, and molasses. The consistency will be like shiny wet sugar. Mix in your eggs one at a time. The batter will start to become smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt. Add this flour mixer to the batter and stir well.
- The dough will be very sticky. Place on a heavily floured surface and knead with your hands. Add more flour a little at a time until it is no longer sticky.
- Refrigerate the dough in plastic wrap for at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. When ready, roll the cold dough 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and cut out your gingerbread men. Place the men on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake the men in a preheated 350˚ oven for 8 minutes or until they are puffed up and showing tiny cracks at the surface. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.
How to Decorate
These cookies are delicious right out of the oven! However, if you have something fancier in mind to pair with your other Christmas cookies, here are my two suggestions.
- Powdered Sugar – I like to sprinkle mine with a little powdered sugar while they are still warm.
- Vanilla Icing – Spread or decorate using icing.
Recipe Notes
Using blackstrap gives a more robust flavor to the cookies. Because it is more concentrated we suggest using it for this recipe to bring out the bold flavors.
If your dough is not fully chilled, it can alter your finished product. For this recipe we recommend chilling at least 3 hours, but overnight is best.
The cookies need to be cool before adding any icing. If it’s added when the cookie is warm the icing will melt and you won’t have those nice tight white lines on your gingerbread men
More Cookies for Christmas
- How To Make The Best Sugar Cookie : Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Lemon Tea Cookie Recipe
- Grandma’s Brickle Cookies
- Honey Cut-Out Cookies with Honey Icing
- Peanut Butter No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
The Best Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For Cookies
- 2/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, spices, soda and salt. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, mix the oil, molasses and brown sugar together. Then, using the same wet bowl, mix in the eggs, one at a time.
- Next, slowly stir in your bowl of the flour mixture into the mixer bowl of wet ingredients. Add one cup at a time to make it easy for you.
- The dough will still be quite sticky. Place the dough onto a heavily floured surface and with floured hands, work in more flour with your hands until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours but it’s best to leave in refrigerator overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick and cut out! Bake for 8 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets until just starting to crack. Let cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.
Comments & Reviews
FRan Marshall says
Do these freeze well after baking?
Meredith says
Hi Fran!
They sure do 🙂
Jo A Barclay-Beard says
How long do these cookies stay soft? I bake for a church Sunday coffee hour and I bake/decorate at least 24 hours prior to serving. Will they still be soft?
Meredith says
Hi Jo!
They should be! You can put them in an air tight container and they should be fine for a couple days. Could also be refrigerated (with proper cover) if your decoration has cream or cream cheese involved. Hope you enjoy!
Thea says
Great recpie easy and just the right amount of spices. I’ll keep this recipe and make it offen…. doesn’t have to be Christmas to eat ginger bread
Meredith says
Thanks Thea!
I like them all year round as well 😉
Jenny says
Delicious! I used normal unsulphered molasses instead of blackstrap since that was all that was available for me but the cookies still came out delicious! I don’t normally like gingerbread cookies but these were soft and amazing and I loved them!
Meredith says
Good to know they worked well with unsulphered molasses! Thanks Jenny!
Sonia says
This recipe is excellent! Love the texture of the cookie and flavor is delicious!
Meredith says
So glad you liked them 🙂
Thank you Sonia!
Natalie Cormier says
Just made the dough…looks pretty dry and crumbly to me….thought I’d check the comment section and I see that you say it only needs a small amount of flour….but the recipe says “on a heavily floured surface”…and with floured hands…..this seems to contradict…..hoping it will still turn out great…
Meredith says
Hi Natalie!
I’m sorry the dough looks dry to you. Plenty of flour (more than a small sprinkling) on the surface ensures that the dough won’t stick when you cut it. Floured hands help with the stickiness as you knead it. Both of those shouldn’t cause a crumbly texture…perhaps it was another ingredient? Hoping it still works out for you!
Katie says
Honestly, I usually hate gingerbread but these cookies made me change my mind!
Meredith says
A changed mind can be quite delicious 🙂
Thanks Katie!
Cindy Li says
Hi, I want to make us this with my preschool kids. Can I premake the dough and put the fridge? Thinking making the dough in the weekend and store in the fridge for 2/3 days?
meredith says
Hi Cindy!
Although I’ve never chilled this dough for more than a day, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Be sure to take it out to warm up before handling; you might have to knead it a little if any oil separated. Have fun with the preschoolers! 🤪😉
Sarah says
Hi there,
I made this recipe and it made a crumble but not a cookie dough. I couldn’t even make a ball to roll out. I checked and there are similar reviews on Pinterest. s it possible that the recipe is missing an egg or some other way ingredient?
Thanks again
meredith says
Hey Sarah!
I’m sorry they didn’t work out for you. When you say crumble, I’m wondering if there was too much flour in your dough? You only need a very small amount to help with sticking as you knead the dough. The more you knead, the less sticky it becomes. I’m assuming you put the eggs in? Wish I could be of more help!
Rayna says
Delicious cookies! I tossed my old gingerbread recipe and will yours from now on. I swapped gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour and they were fabulous. Thank you!!
Meredith says
Glad you liked them Rayna! – and thanks for letting me know that the recipe works with gluten free flour! 🙂