When the holidays roll around and my kitchen starts to smell like cinnamon, cloves, and just a hint of molasses, you know I’ve got a tray of chewy gingerbread cookies in the oven. There’s something about that warm spice that pulls you right into December, no matter what month it is. I make these every year, and every year someone asks me for the recipe—so now, it’s living here on Lila Cooks. These aren’t those crunchy, crack-your-tooth gingerbread men. Nope. These cookies are soft, a little gooey in the center, and so full of flavor they don’t even need icing (but hey, I won’t stop you). If you’re into sweet easy recipes that actually taste like something more than sugar, this one’s for you. Plus, with a dough that’s basically foolproof and ingredients you probably already have, these are perfect for late-night baking, snow days, or bribing your neighbors into liking you. So let’s do this—get out the flour, put on some holiday music, and bake something that smells like magic.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
- 4) How to Make Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
- 5) Tips for Making Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
- 6) Making Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Gingerbread Cookies
- 8) Try these Cookies next!
- 9) Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
- These chewy gingerbread cookies bring classic holiday flavor with warm spices and a soft texture.
- Perfect for sweet easy recipes lovers, holiday gatherings, or even as edible gifts.
- The dough is simple to prep and bake, making it great for beginners and pros alike.
- You can store or freeze these cookies, and they still taste incredible after a few days.
2) Easy Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Let’s face it. Some cookies are here to impress, some to decorate, and then there are the cookies you secretly eat three of before they’ve even cooled. These chewy gingerbread cookies? Definitely the third kind. I grew up thinking gingerbread was just for stiff little men with candy buttons. But then I made this batch, and now I can’t bake a holiday tray without them.
They’re soft in the center, just enough crisp on the edge to hold shape, and spiced with that perfect trio of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The kind of cookie you bite into and immediately feel like you’ve wrapped yourself in a cinnamon blanket. And if you love sweet easy recipes that don’t make you pull every bowl out of your cupboard, you’re in the right place.
Whether you bake these for family or just for yourself (no judgment, really), this cookie makes the holidays feel like home. It’s an air fryer cookies easy recipe you can bake in batches, a quick evening snack when the craving hits, and even better, a dough you don’t need to babysit.
3) Ingredients for Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened: Soft butter is the base of chewy. If it’s too cold, you’ll end up creaming forever. Let it sit on the counter while you gather the rest.
1 cup white sugar: This adds sweetness but also gives a crisp edge that contrasts with the chewy center. Trust me, don’t reduce it.
1 egg: One egg holds the magic together. Adds moisture and binds everything into one glorious dough.
1/4 cup molasses: Here’s where the gingerbread heart comes in. It adds depth, color, and that signature richness that makes these feel like December in every bite.
2 cups all-purpose flour: Flour brings it all together. Spoon and level it, don’t scoop, or you’ll end up with cookie pucks.
2 teaspoons baking soda: This gives the cookie its gentle rise and soft puffiness. No flat cookies here.
1/2 teaspoon salt: Salt wakes up the flavors. Just a little makes all the spices pop.
1 tablespoon ground ginger: The star spice. It’s bold, warming, and very much the soul of this cookie.
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: The sidekick to ginger. Adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves: Don’t skip this. It brings in that signature gingerbread intensity. Too much, and it’ll take over, so measure well.
1/2 cup white sugar (for rolling): Rolling the dough balls in sugar gives the cookies a lovely crackled top and just the right sparkle.
4) How to Make Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Don’t wait until everything’s mixed—start it now, so your dough doesn’t sit around too long once it’s ready.
Step 2. In a big bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Use a mixer if you’ve got one, or elbow grease and a spoon if you’re going old-school.
Step 3. Add the egg and molasses. Stir it all until the color turns deep and dreamy brown. It’ll smell like winter mornings.
Step 4. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. You want even spice here—no clove bombs.
Step 5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Don’t rush it. A wooden spoon helps here. Mix until you’ve got a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 6. Scoop out tablespoon-sized bits of dough and roll them into balls. Then roll them in the extra sugar. This is where the sparkle happens.
Step 7. Place on a baking sheet with parchment, spaced apart. They’ll spread a little, so give them room. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the tops crack just a bit.
Step 8. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack. If you can resist eating one right off the tray, you’re stronger than me.
5) Tips for Making Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
If your dough feels too sticky to roll, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cooler dough means cleaner hands and prettier cookies.
Use unsulphured molasses. Blackstrap is too bitter here and will overpower the sweet balance of the cookie. We’re not making BBQ sauce.
Don’t overbake. These cookies should be soft in the middle with just-set edges. Pull them out even if they seem a bit underdone—they’ll firm up as they cool.
Want to switch things up? Toss in a pinch of nutmeg or swap some of the white sugar for brown for a deeper flavor. Just don’t go wild or you’ll lose that classic chewy gingerbread taste people love.
6) Making Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Ahead of Time
You can totally prep the dough ahead. Mix it, wrap it tightly in plastic, and stash it in the fridge for up to three days. The spices will deepen a little, and you’ll get an even richer cookie.
If you want to freeze the dough, roll it into balls first and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once they’re firm, drop them into a zip-top bag. Label with the bake time and temp, and you’ve got cookies ready when you are.
Need cookies for a holiday party? Make the dough the weekend before, and bake them fresh the day of. Your kitchen will smell amazing, and no one needs to know you did most of the work early.
7) Storing Leftover Gingerbread Cookies
Once baked, let your cookies cool completely before storing. Otherwise, that residual warmth traps moisture and gives you soggy bottoms (and not the British Bake Off kind).
Keep them in an airtight container on the counter for up to five days. If they start to firm up, toss in a slice of bread. The cookies soak up moisture from the bread and soften right back up—kitchen magic.
Want to keep them longer? Freeze the baked cookies in layers separated by parchment in a freezer-safe container. Thaw on the counter. They taste just as good a week or two later.
8) Try these Cookies next!
9) Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Easy Chewy Gingerbread Cookies – Sweet Easy Recipes Everyone Will Love
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup white sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, then stir in the molasses until everything is fully combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions, roll them into balls, then roll in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.
- Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the tops are crinkled.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10) Nutrition
Serving Size: 1 cookie | Calories: 120 | Sugar: 12g | Sodium: 100mg | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Carbohydrates: 18g | Fiber: 0.5g | Protein: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg
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