Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe For Christmas

The Smell of Christmas

My kitchen smells like Christmas right now. It is the smell of ginger and cinnamon. It warms you right down to your toes.

I love that smell. It reminds me of my own grandma. She would bake these cookies every year. I still laugh at how her apron was always dusty with flour.

A Little Cookie Story

Let me tell you a funny story. One year, I forgot the baking soda. My cookies came out flat as pancakes. They were tasty, but very funny looking.

My grandson called them gingerbread pancakes. We ate them anyway. This is why measuring matters. It helps your cookies puff up just right.

Making the Dough

Cream the butter and sugar first. Mix them until they look light and fluffy. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Then add the egg and molasses.

Molasses makes the cookies dark and sweet. In another bowl, mix your flour and spices. Ginger and cloves make the flavor so warm. Now, mix the wet and dry together.

Why We Bake Together

Baking is more than just making food. It is a way to show love. Sharing cookies with someone says, “I was thinking of you.”

That is a beautiful thing. It connects us. What is your favorite food memory with your family? I would love to hear about it.

Baking and Frosting

Scoop your dough into little balls. Bake them for just about 10 minutes. Let them cool completely before you frost them. This is important.

The cream cheese frosting is so good. It is tangy and sweet. It balances the spicy cookie. Do you like a lot of frosting or just a little?

A Fun Fact for You

Fun fact: Gingerbread has been around for a very long time. It was first made in Europe hundreds of years ago. People even shaped it like kings and queens.

Isn’t that interesting? Food has such a long history. It ties us to people from long ago. What is your favorite old-fashioned food?

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
salted butter	3/4 cup	softened at room temperature
granulated sugar	3/4 cup
brown sugar	1/3 cup
egg	1 whole
vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste	1 teaspoon
molasses	1/3 cup
all-purpose flour	2 1/4 cups
baking soda	2 teaspoons
baking powder	1/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon	1 tablespoon
ground ginger	1 tablespoon
ground nutmeg	1/2 teaspoon
cloves	1/4 teaspoon
cream cheese	8 ounces	softened
powdered sugar	1 cup
butter	1/4 cup	softened
ground cinnamon	1/8 teaspoon
vanilla extract	2 teaspoons
milk	1 tablespoon

My Softest Gingerbread Cookies

Oh, the smell of gingerbread in the oven. It feels like a warm hug. It reminds me of my own grandma’s kitchen. She always said the secret is in the molasses. It makes the cookies so soft and chewy. Let’s make some happy memories together.

Step 1: First, let’s get our oven warm. Set it to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This little trick saves so much scrubbing later. I learned that the hard way. (A hard-learned tip: If your butter is too hard, grate it with a cheese grater! It softens in minutes.)

Step 2: Now, let’s cream the butter and sugars. Use your mixer until it’s light and fluffy. This puts little air pockets in the dough. They make the cookies soft. I still laugh at the time I forgot to scrape the bowl. We had one very buttery cookie!

Step 3: Stir in the egg, molasses, and vanilla. Doesn’t that molasses smell amazing? It’s sticky, but so good. In another bowl, whisk your flour and spices. My grandson calls this the “magic fairy dust” step. All those spices make the kitchen smell like Christmas.

Step 4: Gently mix the dry stuff into the wet stuff. Don’t over-mix! Just until you see no more white flour. Then, scoop your dough into little balls. I use a cookie scoop. It keeps them all the same size. What’s your favorite spice in gingerbread? Share below!

Step 5: Bake them for just 9 to 11 minutes. The edges will be a light golden brown. They might look a little soft in the middle. That’s perfect! Let them cool on the pan. They will firm up as they sit. This is the hardest part, waiting.

Step 6: For the frosting, beat everything together until it’s smooth. The cream cheese makes it so tangy. Frost your cookies once they are completely cool. If you don’t, the frosting will melt right off. Then add sprinkles for a bit of holiday sparkle.

Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 30 cookies
Category: Dessert, Cookies

Fun Twists to Try

Once you know the basic recipe, you can get creative. I love adding little surprises to my cookies. It makes baking feel like an adventure. Here are a few of my favorite ideas.

Lemon Zest Frosting: Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cream cheese frosting. It’s so bright and sunny.

Chocolate Chip Gingerbread: Stir in a handful of chocolate chips right before scooping. A little chocolate makes everything better.

Orange Spice: Use a little orange juice in the frosting instead of milk. It pairs wonderfully with the ginger.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving Them Up

These cookies are wonderful all on their own. But you can make them extra special. I love serving them on a big platter after dinner. It feels so festive and cozy.

For a pretty plate, add some fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs. The red and green looks so cheerful. A glass of cold milk is the classic partner. It cuts the spice just right. For the grown-ups, a hot mug of spiced apple cider is lovely. The flavors dance together.

Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Your Gingerbread Cookies Fresh

Let’s talk about keeping your cookies soft. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container. They will stay good on the counter for about four days. You can also freeze the dough for later.

Just roll the dough into balls. Place them on a baking sheet to freeze. Then put the frozen balls in a bag. I once forgot I had dough in my freezer. It was a lovely surprise for a rainy day.

This matters because a little planning saves time. You can have fresh cookies anytime friends visit. It makes your kitchen feel ready for anything. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Fixing Common Gingerbread Hiccups

Sometimes cookies can spread too much. Your butter might have been too warm. I remember when my first batch turned into one big cookie. Chilling your dough for thirty minutes fixes this.

Another issue is tough cookies. This happens if you mix the dough too long. Just mix until you see no more dry flour. This matters because gentle mixing keeps them soft and cake-like.

Frosting can sometimes be too runny. If this happens, just add a bit more powdered sugar. Getting the frosting right matters for both looks and taste. Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Gingerbread Cookie Questions

Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Yes, use your favorite gluten-free flour mix. It works just fine.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead? A: Absolutely. Keep it in the fridge for up to two days.

Q: What can I use instead of molasses? A: You can use dark maple syrup. The flavor will be a little different.

Q: Can I double this recipe? A: Of course. Just use a very large bowl for mixing.

Q: Are the sprinkles needed? A: No, they are just for fun. A simple frosting is still delicious. Which tip will you try first?

Bake Some Holiday Magic

I hope you love baking these cookies. The smell of gingerbread fills a home with joy. It is one of my favorite parts of the season.

Fun fact: Gingerbread was first shaped into people by Queen Elizabeth I. She gave them to foreign guests. I always think of that when I bake.

I would love to see your creations. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! Your photos make my day. Happy baking!

—Elowen Thorn.