Hi, I am Camila. These gingerbread cookies bake soft with spice and a cozy snap. I share a gingerbread man cookies recipe and a simple gingerbread dough recipe. Craving color m and m cookies recipe. Hunting the best gingerbread cookie recipe. Want a playful cookies and cream cookies recipe. We bake today.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Gingerbread Cookies
- 4) How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
- 5) Tips for Making Gingerbread Cookies
- 6) Making Gingerbread Cookies Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Gingerbread Cookies
- 8) Try these desserts next
- 9) Gingerbread Cookies
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I bake these for people I love. The dough comes together fast. The spice smells warm and friendly. We get clean edges and soft centers. We can leave them plain or add a simple glaze. Kids help with cutters. Adults guard the cooling rack. Camila at Camila Cooks keeps it simple and calm.
We chill the dough for tidy shapes. We roll with light flour. We pull the tray when the centers still look pale. The carryover heat finishes the bake. That is the trick I stand by. It keeps that gentle bite.
The flavor leans ginger and molasses. The texture stays soft for days. The method fits busy days in December or any month we crave spice. These notes come from my oven and a few oops moments that taught me well.
2) Easy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
I call these my weeknight heroes. The first time I made gingerbread cookies I feared fussy dough. Then I mixed, chilled, rolled, and thought Huh that was easy. These gingerbread cookies taste cozy and bake quick. I share this with calm confidence and a big grin because two trays vanished during a movie night.
We work with pantry friends and a bowl. No stand mixer needed. The dough feels soft yet holds shape. Think spiced ginger cookies with a mellow snap. If you use cutout shapes, the edges stay neat and the centers stay tender. This gingerbread man cookies recipe reads like a kind guide rather than a test.
Want an easy gingerbread dough recipe that does not fight back. This one rolls smooth and smells like winter mornings. I tested with plain glaze and with tiny candies. Both worked. A friend begged for a batch to trade for her famous m and m cookies recipe. I took the deal and kept a secret stash.
3) Ingredients for Gingerbread Cookies
All purpose flour gives the dough body and a tender chew. I scoop gently and level the cup so the dough stays soft. A little dust on the counter helps with rolling without toughening the cookies.
Ground ginger carries the lead note. It wakes up the kitchen with a warm kick that meets sweet molasses. I nudge the measure for a bolder batch when we want extra spice.
Ground cinnamon rounds the flavor and adds that friendly bakery smell. A small spoon does the job. It supports ginger without taking over.
Ground cloves bring depth. A pinch adds a cozy shadow that makes each bite taste fuller. Too much can shout so I keep it light.
Baking soda lifts the dough. It keeps the texture soft. I sift it with the spices to spread it well.
Fine salt sharpens every flavor. A small pinch does wonders. Think balance more than brine.
Unsalted butter softened blends smooth with sugar. Soft butter traps tiny air that helps the crumb stay light. I press a finger and look for a gentle dent.
Packed brown sugar adds a deep caramel note and helps keep the centers soft. I press it firm in the cup so the measure stays true.
Large egg binds the dough and adds richness. Room temp mixes best. I set it in warm water for a few minutes when I forget.
Molasses mild sets that classic holiday ginger cookies taste. It brings moisture and color. I spray the cup with oil so it slides right out.
Vanilla extract softens the spice and gives a round finish. A small splash goes far.
Powdered sugar makes a quick glaze. It sets thin and shiny so sprinkles stick and smiles grow.
Milk thins the glaze to a drizzle. A drop or two changes the flow. I stir and check the ribbon on a spoon.
More vanilla in the glaze adds a tiny note of warmth. The scent floats up and makes it hard to wait.
4) How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1 mix dry In a bowl whisk flour ginger cinnamon cloves baking soda and salt. The blend looks warm and smells like the holidays.
Step 2 cream butter and sugar Beat softened butter with brown sugar until light. The mix looks fluffy and clings to the sides.
Step 3 add egg molasses vanilla Crack in the egg then pour molasses and vanilla. The color turns deep and glossy. This is the flavor base for classic gingerbread cookies.
Step 4 bring together Add dry mix in two parts. Stir just to combine. The dough feels soft and a bit sticky which is right.
Step 5 chill Split the dough and press it into flat disks. Wrap and chill twenty to thirty minutes. This rest helps with rolling and neat shapes.
Step 6 roll and cut Dust the counter with flour. Roll to about one fourth inch. Cut shapes and place them on lined sheets.
Step 7 bake Heat the oven to three hundred fifty degrees F. Bake seven to nine minutes until edges look set and centers look soft.
Step 8 cool and glaze Let cookies rest two minutes then move to a rack. Stir a quick glaze and drizzle or pipe. Let set before stacking.
5) Tips for Making Gingerbread Cookies
I roll between two sheets of parchment. The dough stays smooth and I use less flour. Less flour keeps that tender bite we love from spiced ginger cookies.
I pull the tray when the centers still look a little soft. They finish on the sheet and stay chewy. If you like more snap leave them one minute longer.
For clean shapes I chill the cut cookies on the tray for five minutes before baking. For shine I brush warm cookies with a thin glaze. For party trays I add small candies for pop and joy.
6) Making Gingerbread Cookies Ahead of Time
I plan cookie boxes with Camila Cooks readers each year. The plan starts with dough. Wrap disks tight and chill for two days or freeze for a month. That way we bake fresh when guests text I am on my way.
Baked cookies store well. I bake the day before, cool, then glaze. The spice blooms by morning. For travel I skip glaze and pack plain. A small bag of glaze rides along for dipping at the table which sparks laughs.
If you teach kids, pre roll and stack sheets between parchment. They cut shapes fast and feel proud. The room smells like classic holiday ginger cookies and the lesson counts as sweet math in my book.
7) Storing Leftover Gingerbread Cookies
Cool the batch to room temp before packing. Warm cookies trap steam and soften too much. When cool they hold shape and that soft chew stays steady.
Use an airtight tin with a small square of parchment between layers. The glaze will not stick and the decorations keep their place. I tuck a slice of fresh bread in the tin to keep the texture tender.
For longer storage freeze plain cookies in a single layer then move to a bag. Thaw on the counter. A quick glaze makes them look fresh. Your kitchen smells like gingerbread cookies again and spirits lift.
8) Try these desserts next
9) Gingerbread Cookies
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies by Camila
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 by 4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 by 4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 by 2 cup molasses mild
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decorating
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 by 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkles or small candies optional
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Whisk flour ginger cinnamon cloves baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- Cream butter and brown sugar until light. Beat in egg then molasses and vanilla.
- Add dry mix in two parts. Mix until a soft dough forms. If sticky add a spoon of flour.
- Split dough in two and press into flat disks. Chill twenty minutes for tidy edges or bake right away for softer edges.
Roll and Cut
- Heat oven to three hundred fifty degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Dust the counter with a little flour. Roll dough to about one fourth inch thick.
- Cut shapes. Gather scraps and reroll once.
Bake
- Place cookies on sheets with space between each.
- Bake seven to nine minutes until the edges look set and the centers still look soft.
- Cool on the sheet two minutes then move to a rack.
Decorate
- Stir powdered sugar milk and vanilla into a smooth glaze. Adjust with a drop of milk if thick.
- Pipe or drizzle on cool cookies. Add sprinkles or tiny candies. Let set.
10) Nutrition
I count one cookie as a serving. That keeps my math friendly and my joy intact. A typical piece lands near one hundred twenty calories with a soft center and thin glaze.
Each serving carries a small touch of fat from butter and a lift of carbs from flour and sugar. The numbers shift if you add extra candies or thicker glaze. I keep my glaze light for shine not bulk.
For balance I pair a cookie with tea or cold milk. We sit, breathe, and let the spice calm the day. Food should taste good and feel kind and these do both.
Leave a Comment