Soft Gingerbread Cookies are chewy, full of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and molasses flavor! Not every ginger cookie has to snap because these cozy holiday cookies stay soft for days and make your kitchen smell incredible.
Recipe Highlights
- Simple to make. No complicated steps or fancy equipment — just a reliable, easy recipe that delivers bakery-quality cookies every time.
- Soft and chewy texture. These aren’t your typical hard gingersnaps — they’re perfectly soft, chewy, and full of cozy holiday flavor.
- Warm, spiced flavor. A blend of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and molasses gives every bite that classic gingerbread taste and makes your kitchen smell incredible.
- Surprisingly addictive. Even gingerbread skeptics fall in love with these. I wasn’t a fan until I tried this recipe — and my husband couldn’t stop eating them!
- Stay soft for days. They hold their texture beautifully and taste just as amazing a few days later, making them perfect for gifting or holiday parties.
Ingredients in Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Shortening: Gives these cookies their signature soft and chewy texture. It helps the dough hold its shape while keeping the centers tender instead of crisp.
- Sugar: Sweetens the dough and balances the deep, rich flavor of the molasses. It also adds a little sparkle and slight crunch if you roll the dough balls in sugar before baking.
- Egg: Helps bind the ingredients and adds just the right amount of moisture for soft, bakery-style cookies.
- Molasses: The star of the show! Molasses gives gingerbread its dark color, warm flavor, and subtle bitterness that makes the cookies taste rich and complex.
- Flour: Provides structure and gives the cookies their soft, cake-like crumb. Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly for this recipe.
- Baking soda: Adds lift and helps create that slightly puffy texture while keeping the cookies light instead of dense.
- Ground ginger: Brings that classic gingerbread warmth — just the right amount of spice without being overpowering.
- Cinnamon: Adds depth and sweetness that pairs perfectly with the molasses and ginger.
- Cloves: A little goes a long way! This spice gives the cookies that bold, festive flavor that makes them taste unmistakably like the holidays.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out all those warm, spiced flavors.
Tips for Perfectly Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Full instructions on how to make these cookies can be found on the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful tips.
- Don’t overbake! The cookies should still look slightly underdone when you pull them out. They’ll firm up as they cool on the pan. I bake mine for 10 minutes exactly, and they turn out soft and chewy every time.
- Cream longer than you think. Mix the shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses for about 2–3 minutes. This gives the dough a smooth consistency and helps the cookies bake evenly.
- Use quality cookie sheets. Thin or dark pans burn the bottoms before the centers set. I love using silicone baking mats — they prevent sticking and promote even browning.
- Preheat the oven. Starting cold can throw off the baking time and texture, especially with molasses-based doughs.
- Scoop evenly. A cookie scoop gives you perfect, uniform rounds — and they’ll bake at the same rate.
Storage and Freezing Tips
- At room temperature: Keep the cookies in an airtight container, and they’ll stay soft for 2–3 days.
- To keep them extra soft: Add half a slice of white bread to the container. The moisture from the bread keeps the cookies tender (just replace it after a couple days).
- Freezing: Cool completely before stacking in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature — they’ll taste just as fresh.
FAQs
What type of molasses should I use?
Use cooking molasses or full-flavor molasses for the best balance of sweetness and spice. These are rich and dark without being bitter. Skip blackstrap molasses unless you prefer a very strong flavor.
Where can I find molasses in the store?
Check near the pancake syrup or baking aisle by the honey — sometimes it’s even in the coffee section.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! The dough keeps well in the fridge for up to two days. Let it soften slightly before baking.
Can I use butter instead of shortening?
You can, but the cookies may spread more and won’t stay quite as chewy.
Do Gingerbread Cookies freeze well?
Yes. Cool completely, store in an airtight container, and freeze up to one month. Thaw at room temperature.
How do I keep them soft?
Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Add half a slice of white bread to keep them extra soft.
More delicious gingerbread cookie recipes to try:
- Soft, thick, and perfectly spiced, Gingerbread Cookie Bars are the easy way to enjoy classic gingerbread flavor without scooping individual cookies — especially delicious topped with cream cheese frosting during the holidays.
- With cozy flavors of molasses, pudding mix, and warm spices, No Bake Gingerbread Cookies let you skip the oven and still enjoy a festive, easy-to-make holiday treat.
- Christmas Gingerbread Cookie Bites pack all the flavor of traditional gingerbread into fun, one-bite cookies that are perfect for parties and holiday trays.
- Soft, chewy, and full of spice, Frosted Gingerbread Sugar Cookies are topped with buttery frosting and come together easily without any chilling or rolling required.
- After years of testing, I can say with confidence that these are the Best Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies — the dough keeps its shape, bakes perfectly, and delivers that classic spiced gingerbread flavor every time.
Soft Gingerbread Cookies are chewy, delicious, and the perfect cookie for the holidays! Packed with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and molasses, these cookies deliver classic gingerbread flavor with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that lasts for days.
Susan says
How many does this make?
Nellie says
About 24-36 cookies, depending on how big you make them!
Donna says
Soft and delicious and Easy!!
Lynn says
I enjoyed making these cookies – quick to make and oh so yummy. I was searching for a software gingerbread recipe and these don’t disappoint. I had to do some searching for the molasses and thought I wasn’t going to make these, but my search paid off! Thanks for a great recipe that I and my family love.
William says
Making these today. But no shortening I’m using butter instead. Using allspice inlieu of clove. We will see how it all works..
Kaylie says
Thank you, William. I hope they turn out great for you! Please let us know
Tapanga says
How did they taste with butter instead of shortening?
Rlaina says
Can you roll these out and use a cookie cutter
Nellie says
I’ve never tried but I think it might! Just make sure to chill the dough beforehand for at least an hour or two.
Kathryn says
These were the best gingerbread cookies I’ve ever made!! Thanks for sharing!
Karen says
Can you make the dough ahead and freeze for baking later?
Nellie says
Absolutely. It’s easier if you freeze the dough in balls and then just pull them out when you want to bake.
Courtney says
I just made these and they turned out perfect! I used gluten free flour and egg replacer. So excited to find this recipe!
Lorrie says
MY cookies flattened out how do I prevent this
Marti C says
Made mine tonight also–to the letter of the recipe. Alas, they were flattened, not at all like the picture. Perhaps a note should be included to chill the dough for a while? They are still delicious, just flat, lol!
Carol Froese says
Yummy! My husband and I made them together. So easy and fun! And they’re delish!
Meredith says
Amazing! My favorite gingerbread cookie recipe
Debbie says
Ahhhhhh-Mazing! These cookies are delicious! Your cookies always deliver the best! And you can’t beat the aroma in the house during the holidays 🙂
Alisa VanderKodde says
I make these every single year!! This by far is the best gingerbread cookie recipe out there! My entire family absolutely LOVES this recipe!!! The only complaint I have is the humongous advertisement along the entire bottom of the screen on your website!! I cannot print anything from here because that blocks all the print. 🙁 It makes me want to find your recipes on other websites…PLEASE FIX IT! That is a terrible eyesore!
terry says
these cookies spread all over the pan. It definitely was not enough flour in them. I added 1/4 C and it still spread all over the pan. Maybe too much shortening?
Nellie says
Bummer! It definitely sounds like something went wrong – I’ve made these dozens of times and the dough is pretty thick so it really shouldn’t spread much at all.
Anne says
Kids said this is the best recipe we’ve done for gingerbread cookies. Vey slight crunch with soft interior.
I used all butter instead of shortening, decreased the baking soda to 1 1/4 tsp, and did not add the outer sugar coating before baking. Also used 1 heaping tsp. of apple pie spice blend in place of the clove and cinnamon because i didn’t have clove on hand. Didn’t chill the dough before rolling because of time crunch, but rolled out on parchment paper and cut into shapes with normal size cookie cutters, about 1/4 inch thick. Didn’t know if they would spread to much, but all the cookies kept their shape and the kids had fun icing them.
I don’t usually leave a review, but this is a good recipe and clear directions.
Traci P says
Slightly crispy edge with a soft, chewy center. They were really good, though I was surprised with how much I could taste the salt. I will try again with 1/4 tsp.
I accidentally grabbed my 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop, so I added a minute to the baking and they were perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Roberta J says
Wonderful taste, everyone loved them! I did have to add another 1-2 minutes to the baking time for my old oven which I don’t think is terribly accurate anymore. Just beware that you may need to play just a bit with timing as ovens can be so individual. Mine were slightly more flat but stayed soft on the inside with just a tiny bit of crispiness to the outside. Absolutely perfect and kept very well for a week.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe that I can’t wait to make again!
Sonja says
These cookies are so yummy! I just made them for the first time, and they are a keeper! I did look thru the comments, did anyone resolve how to make them not so flat? I followed exact recipe, even using light colored cooking sheets, but disappointed that mine definitely don’t look like the picture! Anyone have suggestions? 2 tsp of baking soda is good, but should I use more? Chill dough?
Christina says
Delicious and so easy. I did up the spices a bit. Thanks so much for posting.
Jen says
Best and easiest gingerbread cookie recipe I have tried!! I am a baker and these turned out perfect! Thank you for sharing!
Jessica says
So glad you like them Jen!