I perfected a Soft Gingerbread Cookies recipe that pairs classic molasses and spice with an easy royal icing, and I’m revealing the full method on my website for the holidays.

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I’ve been making these Soft Gingerbread Cookies every December, and somehow they keep getting better. The dough sings of warm ground ginger and deep unsulphured molasses, but what really hooks people is the texture, chewy at the center with edges that still give.

I won’t pretend I’m perfect, i’ve overbaked a few times, yet this version always wins smiles. There’s a tiny trick I use that you won’t expect, it changes everything, and folks keep asking for the secret.

Trust me, you’ll want a printed copy for the holidays, you’ll thank me later.

Ingredients

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all purpose flour gives carbs and some protein but not much fiber, adds structure
Ginger gives warm spice, a few antioxidants, slightly sharp and fragrant
molasses brings deep sweetness plus iron and minerals, richer than plain sugar
Brown sugar sweetens and keeps cookies moist, mostly carbs, not very nutritious
butter adds fat, tenderness and flavor, calorie dense so dont overdo it
Egg binds the dough, adds protein and richness helps cookies stay chewy
cornstarch gives extra chew and tenderness without flavor, mostly starch carbs
Powdered sugar sweetens icing, melts smooth, all sugar no real nutrients

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch (optional, for extra chewiness)

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup (160 g) unsulphured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar (for royal icing)

1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder or 1 large egg white (for royal icing)

2 to 4 tablespoons water (for royal icing, adjust as needed)

gel food coloring, optional

sanding sugar or sprinkles for decorating, optional

How to Make this

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1. Whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons ground ginger, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt and 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch if you’re using it for extra chewiness.

2. In a large bowl cream 3/4 cup (170 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, then beat in 1 large egg, 1/2 cup (160 g) unsulphured molasses and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined, don’t overmix.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing just until incorporated, scrape the bowl so no streaks of flour remain, the dough should be soft but not sticky.

4. Chill the dough in the fridge at least 1 hour for easier rolling, I usually do overnight for better flavor and shape control but if you’re impatient 1 hour works too.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the chilled dough between sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, cut gingerbread men shapes and transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet; if the shapes get soft, chill the cut cookies on the sheet for 10 minutes.

6. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes depending on size, aim for 8–9 minutes for really soft, chewy centers. Let cookies rest on the hot pan 4 to 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Make the royal icing: for meringue powder version combine 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder and 2 to 4 tablespoons water, beat until glossy and it holds a peak; if you prefer using 1 large egg white, start with the egg white plus about 1 tablespoon water and add more water up to 3 tablespoons until you hit the right consistency.

8. Adjust icing thickness for piping vs flooding, add gel food coloring if you want colors, transfer icing to piping bags or zip bags with a small corner cut and decorate the cooled cookies; sprinkle sanding sugar or sprinkles on while the icing is still wet.

9. Let decorated cookies sit at room temperature until icing hardens about 1 to 2 hours. Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temp up to a week or freeze the baked un-iced cookies up to 3 months, thaw before icing.

10. Quick tips: use room temp butter so cream properly, don’t overbake or you’ll lose chewiness, flour or parchment helps rolling, and chilling the dough is the secret to sharp cute shapes and less spreading.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (for creaming butter and sugar)
2. Medium mixing bowl (for whisking dry ingredients)
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer or a sturdy whisk if you wanna work your arms
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a digital kitchen scale for grams, you’ll thank me later
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for scraping and folding
6. Rolling pin and extra parchment sheets for rolling between them
7. Gingerbread men cookie cutters and a small bench scraper to lift shapes
8. Baking sheets lined with parchment and a wire cooling rack
9. Piping bags or zip top bags and small round piping tips for decorating

FAQ

How do I make these gingerbread men soft and chewy instead of crisp?

Use the optional cornstarch, pack the brown sugar, don't overmix and take them out when edges look set but centers are still soft. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes so they hold shape, roll them about 1/4 inch thick and bake 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes so they finish gently.

Can I make the dough ahead or freeze it?

Yes. You can chill dough in the fridge up to 48 hours for more flavor, or freeze shaped cookies on a baking sheet then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to bake time. You can also form the dough into a log, wrap tight and freeze, then slice and bake later.

My cookies spread too much or lost their shape, what went wrong?

Most likely butter was too warm, dough not chilled, or you rolled them too thin. Use softened not melted butter, chill the dough at least 30 minutes, and dust cutters lightly with flour. Also check oven temp with a thermometer, an oven that's too hot or too cool can change spreading.

Royal icing won't harden or is too runny, how do I fix it?

Start with meringue powder for reliable results and add water 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach piping or flooding consistency. For outlines use thicker icing, for flooding thin it a bit more. If it stays tacky, let it rest at room temp a little longer or add a pinch more powdered sugar. Using egg white works but is less shelf stable.

Any quick decorating hacks to make them look great fast?

Freeze your cutter between uses for sharper edges, pipe outlines then flood and add sprinkles while icing is wet. Use a squeeze bottle or disposable bag with a tiny corner snipped for fast control, and keep a toothpick handy to pop air bubbles.

How should I store or ship the cookies so they stay fresh and intact?

Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 5 days, with parchment between layers. For longer keep baked cookies in the freezer up to 3 months. For shipping, let icing fully harden 24 hours, cushion with bubble wrap, pack cookies flat and separated by stiff cardboard and tissue so they don't move.

Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with a 1 to 1 gluten free all purpose flour blend using the same weight (360 g) for a gluten free batch. Or try whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier taste but only replace up to 50 percent of the AP flour or the cookies get too dense.
Cornstarch (optional): substitute equal amounts of arrowroot or tapioca starch (30 g) for the same extra chewiness. If you have none you can skip it and watch the bake time 1 to 2 minutes less.
Unsalted butter: use salted butter at the same weight (170 g) and leave out or cut back the recipe salt. Or use solid coconut oil 1 to 1, chill the dough longer and expect a faint coconut note.
Large egg: for egg free use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes to gel. Another option is 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, but reduce molasses a bit since applesauce adds moisture.

Pro Tips

– Chill the dough longer than you think, even overnight if you can. It firms up so cutters give sharp shapes, flavors deepen, and you’ll use less extra flour when rolling. Trust me you want that chill.

– Weigh your flour or spoon and level it into the cup, don’t scoop. Too much flour makes dry crumbly cookies, so if the dough feels tacky chill it instead of dumping more flour in.

– Pull the cookies when the edges look set but the centers still seem a touch soft. They firm up as they cool, so rescuing them a bit early gives chewy centers instead of rock hard cookies.

– For icing, aim for two consistencies: stiff for piping details and thinner for flooding. Add a little corn syrup for shine if you like, and work left to right while the icing is wet so it smooths out.

Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Soft Gingerbread Cookies recipe that pairs classic molasses and spice with an easy royal icing, and I'm revealing the full method on my website for the holidays.

Servings

servings

Calories

196

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl (for creaming butter and sugar)
2. Medium mixing bowl (for whisking dry ingredients)
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer or a sturdy whisk if you wanna work your arms
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a digital kitchen scale for grams, you’ll thank me later
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for scraping and folding
6. Rolling pin and extra parchment sheets for rolling between them
7. Gingerbread men cookie cutters and a small bench scraper to lift shapes
8. Baking sheets lined with parchment and a wire cooling rack
9. Piping bags or zip top bags and small round piping tips for decorating

Ingredients

3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch (optional, for extra chewiness)
3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup (160 g) unsulphured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar (for royal icing)
1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder or 1 large egg white (for royal icing)
2 to 4 tablespoons water (for royal icing, adjust as needed)
gel food coloring, optional
sanding sugar or sprinkles for decorating, optional

Directions

Whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons ground ginger, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt and 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch if you're using it for extra chewiness.
In a large bowl cream 3/4 cup (170 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, then beat in 1 large egg, 1/2 cup (160 g) unsulphured molasses and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined, don't overmix.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing just until incorporated, scrape the bowl so no streaks of flour remain, the dough should be soft but not sticky.
Chill the dough in the fridge at least 1 hour for easier rolling, I usually do overnight for better flavor and shape control but if you're impatient 1 hour works too.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the chilled dough between sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, cut gingerbread men shapes and transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet; if the shapes get soft, chill the cut cookies on the sheet for 10 minutes.
Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes depending on size, aim for 8–9 minutes for really soft, chewy centers. Let cookies rest on the hot pan 4 to 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the royal icing: for meringue powder version combine 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder and 2 to 4 tablespoons water, beat until glossy and it holds a peak; if you prefer using 1 large egg white, start with the egg white plus about 1 tablespoon water and add more water up to 3 tablespoons until you hit the right consistency.
Adjust icing thickness for piping vs flooding, add gel food coloring if you want colors, transfer icing to piping bags or zip bags with a small corner cut and decorate the cooled cookies; sprinkle sanding sugar or sprinkles on while the icing is still wet.
Let decorated cookies sit at room temperature until icing hardens about 1 to 2 hours. Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temp up to a week or freeze the baked un-iced cookies up to 3 months, thaw before icing.
Quick tips: use room temp butter so cream properly, don't overbake or you'll lose chewiness, flour or parchment helps rolling, and chilling the dough is the secret to sharp cute shapes and less spreading.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.