Is it even Christmas without gingerbread cookies? I don’t think so! These cookies are one of my absolute favorite Christmas treats. They’re soft and chewy in the middle, full of warm holiday spices like cinnamon and ginger, and they smell amazing while baking.
This is episode 2 of my Christmas Cookies Edition, and I’m so excited to share it with you! These cookies are easy to make, and I promise you’ll want to eat more than one.
Method
Preheating the Oven
First things first, go ahead and preheat your oven to 180°C (about 350°F). This step is super important because it ensures your cookies bake evenly right from the start. While the oven is heating, line a baking sheet with parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier.
Creaming the Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, add your softened unsalted butter and sugar. Use an electric mixer or a hand whisk to beat them together until the mixture becomes light, creamy, and fluffy this usually takes around 2–3 minutes with a mixer. This step adds air into the dough and helps create that soft, chewy center we all love. And yes, if you’re anything like me, this part can get a little messy some sugar might end up flying, but that’s part of the fun!
Mixing in the Wet Ingredients
Once your butter and sugar are creamed, add in the egg and your treacle (or molasses). Blend everything together until the mixture is completely smooth and dark golden in color. The treacle gives the dough a rich, deep flavor and that classic gingerbread color it’s what makes these cookies taste like Christmas!
Combining the Dry Ingredients
Now grab a separate medium bowl and whisk together your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ginger powder. Stir until the spices and leavening agents are evenly mixed into the flour. This will make sure every bite of your cookie has those delicious warm flavors.
Making the Dough
Slowly add the dry mixture into your wet mixture, a little at a time. Stir gently using a spatula or your mixer on low speed, just until everything comes together into a thick, soft dough. Be careful not to overmix at this stage mixing too much can make the cookies turn out dense or tough instead of soft and chewy.
Rolling the Dough Balls
Now comes the fun part forming the cookies! Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop some dough and roll it into a ball about 3 cm in diameter (about the size of a walnut). If you’d like your cookies to have a pretty sparkle and a slightly crisp outer edge, roll each dough ball in granulated sugar before placing it on the tray. This step is optional, but it really makes them look festive!
Arranging on the Baking Sheet
Place each dough ball onto your prepared baking sheet. Be sure to leave enough space at least a few centimeters between each ball because the cookies will spread as they bake. You don’t want them to all blend together in the oven!
Baking the Cookies
Pop the tray into your preheated oven and bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes. Keep a close eye on them starting at the 10-minute mark. You’re looking for the cookies to puff up a bit and develop small cracks on the surface. That’s a good sign they’re baked through but still soft in the center. Don’t wait for them to look fully done, or they might end up overbaked.
Cooling Before Serving
Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. They’ll still be soft right out of the oven, but they’ll firm up as they cool. After that, move them to a wire rack to cool completely or sneak one warm if you just can’t wait!
Necessary Tools
- Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
- Electric mixer or hand whisk
- Measuring spoons and a kitchen scale
- Spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
Christmas Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (Soft, Spiced & Delicious)
Cuisine: EuropeanDifficulty: Easy24
servings15
minutes12
minutes27
minutesIngredients
200g sugar
185g unsalted butter (softened)
1 large egg
70g treacle (or molasses works too!)
300g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
Optional: extra sugar to roll the dough balls for a sparkly finish
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (about 350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. I usually use an electric whisk for this it gets wild sometimes and sugar flies everywhere, but that’s part of the fun!
- Add the egg and treacle (or molasses) to your butter-sugar mix and blend until everything is nice and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Give it a quick stir to mix everything evenly.
- Now, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Mix until you get a thick, soft cookie dough.
- Scoop a little dough and roll it into a ball about 3 cm in size. You can roll it in sugar for extra sparkle this makes the cookies look extra cute!
- Place the cookie balls on your baking sheet. Make sure to leave space between them, as they will spread while baking.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will puff up and might look slightly cracked that means they’re perfect!
- Let them cool completely before serving. They’ll firm up a bit as they cool, so don’t worry if they seem too soft at first.
Notes
- Make sure your butter is softened, not melted this helps get the perfect cookie texture.
- Don’t overmix the dough after adding the flour, or the cookies can turn out tough.
- Keep an eye on the oven every oven is a little different, so check them at 10 minutes. You want soft middles, not hard rocks!
- Let the cookies cool on the tray for a few minutes before moving them they’ll be very soft right out of the oven.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with hot cocoa or a glass of cold milk
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for a fun dessert twist
- Package them in holiday tins or bags and give them as sweet gifts
- Dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes for a fancy touch
Fun Fact
Did you know? Treacle and molasses are both made during the sugar-making process, but treacle is more popular in the UK, while molasses is used more in the US. Both give these cookies their deep, caramel-like flavor!
Conclusion
These gingerbread cookies are such a hit every Christmas! Whether you’re baking with friends, kids, or just having some solo fun in the kitchen, this recipe brings that cozy, holiday magic with every bite. They’re soft, spiced, and filled with festive flavor and trust me, everyone will ask for the recipe.
So go ahead, whisk up some joy and bake a batch (or two)!
