The BEST soft gingerbread sugar cookies recipe! The cookies don’t spread, are filled with warm spices and are delicious decorated or plain!
Tis the season for cookie baking! The holidays wouldn’t be complete without gingerbread cookies, but not the hard, crunchy kind—these are soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced with a hint of molasses. They hold their shape, don’t spread while baking, and are delicious whether decorated or plain.
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Sugar cookies are a longtime favorite for holidays and celebrations. This version blends the ease of a classic sugar cookie with warm gingerbread flavors—molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves—creating soft, flavorful cookies that are ideal for cutting into shapes and decorating or enjoying plain.
Ingredients for soft gingerbread sugar cookies
- All-purpose flour – provides structure and helps the cookies keep their shape
- Ground cinnamon, cloves and ginger – warm spices to flavor the cookies
- Baking powder – a light leavening agent
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter – room temperature
- Dark brown sugar – for chewiness and extra molasses flavor
- Egg – adds structure
- Vanilla extract – enhances flavor
- Molasses – unsulphured, for classic gingerbread taste
How to make gingerbread sugar cookies
The dough comes together quickly. Start by whisking the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and salt until combined. Add dark brown sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and molasses until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until the dough gathers around the paddle and forms a soft, non-sticky ball.
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Creamed butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla and molasses. -
The finished dough, after adding flour, baking powder and spices.
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and press into a 1-inch-thick disk. Chill for at least 30 minutes and up to seven days. If chilled for many hours, let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or more before rolling so it becomes easy to roll out.
Rolling out the gingerbread sugar cookie dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Thick cookies hold their soft texture better, so avoid rolling too thin. Use fluted cutters or biscuit cutters to cut shapes, re-rolling scraps as needed.
Place cut cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 7–8 minutes. They should look slightly puffy and a touch underbaked in the center. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Avoid overbaking to keep them soft and chewy.
How do you decorate sugar cookies?
I prefer to freeze baked, cooled cookies for a few hours (or longer) before decorating—this helps retain softness and makes decorating easier. I used a smooth American buttercream for the cookies pictured; royal icing or spiced buttercream also work well. Chill decorated cookies until the frosting sets if you plan to stack or store them.
Disposable piping bags, a few decorating tips, and gel colors make the process straightforward. For detailed step-by-step decorating photos and techniques, consider following a buttercream or cookie-decorating tutorial.
Do you have to frost sugar cookies?
No—these soft gingerbread sugar cookies are excellent on their own. A light dusting of powdered sugar is another simple option if you prefer a little decoration without frosting.
What is the best way to store sugar cookies?
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to one week. They freeze well for up to three months.
For decorated cookies, chill or freeze them in a single layer until the frosting firms, then stack in an airtight container for freezing. Unstack them before they fully thaw to prevent frosted layers from sticking together. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Soft Gingerbread Sugar Cookies. It warms my heart to see your creations—thank you and happy baking!
More sugar cookie recipes to explore
- Always Perfect Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Easy and Fast Soft Drop Sugar Cookies
- Perfect Cinnamon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Sprinkle Cookies
If you make this recipe (or any recipe from two sugar bugs), please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. I read every comment and love hearing from you!
Soft Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
This easy recipe makes soft, chewy gingerbread sugar cookies that don’t spread, are filled with warm spices, and are delicious decorated or plain.
10 minutes
8 minutes
30 minutes
48 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (200g)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses (15mL)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and salt on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add brown sugar and beat until smooth, about 1–1½ minutes. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and molasses until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture gradually, stopping to scrape the bowl occasionally. The dough should form a ball around the paddle and be soft but not sticky.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, pressing into a 1-inch-thick disk. Chill at least 30 minutes or up to seven days. If chilled for a long period, let it sit at room temperature about 15 minutes before rolling.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and re-roll scraps as needed.
- Arrange cookies on prepared sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 7–8 minutes until slightly puffy. Let rest 2 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired. American buttercream or spiced buttercream work well for decorating.
Notes
*Dark brown sugar gives extra molasses flavor, but light brown works too.
**I like to freeze fully cooled cookies before decorating to help maintain softness. Bake at least a day before decorating when possible. Cookies freeze well for 2–3 months. If freezing decorated cookies, chill them in a single layer until the frosting firms, then stack in an airtight container. Unstack before they fully thaw to prevent sticking.
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature or refrigerated for up to one week and freeze well for up to three months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 161
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 28mg
Sodium: 81mg
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 8g
Protein: 2g
The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.
Did you make this recipe?
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