The Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

A soft gingerbread cookie recipe that is perfect for decorating! These festive cookies are packed with flavor and won’t disappoint!

I have long been on the hunt for the perfect gingerbread cookie recipe. I wanted something soft but good for decorating like my cut-out sugar cookie recipe but also really flavorful. I often found that I was disappointed in many of the gingerbread cookie recipes I tried – either they were too greasy or they were bland and dry.

This recipe truly is the best gingerbread cookie recipe!! It’s so easy but packed with flavor and has a perfect texture.

Why you’ll love this Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

• So easy to make. You don’t need to be an experienced baker to make these gingerbread cookies! The dough comes together in no time, is super easy to roll out, and holds its shape well during baking.
• Perfect for decorating. The smooth and slightly soft texture makes them the perfect base for icing, sprinkles, and other decorations. These cookies are great for the whole family to get involved in decorating.
• Taste amazing. Gingery, sweet, and slightly spiced – these gingerbread cookies are too good to be true!

Ingredients for the Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

For the Gingerbread Cookies

• Flour
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Cocoa powder
• Ginger
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Allspice
• Black pepper
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Molasses
• Egg
• Orange zest
• Vanilla extract
• Maple extract

For the Icing

• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Milk

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to make Soft Gingerbread Cookies

For the Gingerbread Cookies

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
2. Sift together dry ingredients into a large bowl.
3. Cream together the butter and brown sugar. It’ll take about 1 minute to incorporate them completely.
4. Add the egg and molasses to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well.
5. Add the orange zest, maple extract, and vanilla extract and combine.
6. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. The texture of the dough should be firm but slightly sticky. You can add more flour if it is too sticky.
7. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick or your desired thickness; just remember that thicker cookies will take longer to bake. Cut out into desired shapes.
8. Place cookie on a lined baking sheet, leaving 1/2-1 inch between cookies. Refrigerate the cookies while on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before baking.
9. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the edges and the tops are set.
10. Let the cookies cool on the sheet tray for 5 minutes. Remove from sheet tray and cool completely before icing.

For the Icing

1. Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and half of the milk in a bowl.
2. Gradually drizzle in the milk while mixing until the icing is soft but not runny. A peak should slowly fall back onto itself when a whisk is pulled out.

Icing for The Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Told you it was perfection! My icing skills though, obviously need some work! Ha! But I’m sure there are much more creative people out there. I use a simple icing – just milk and powdered sugar with a little bit of vanilla.

This icing hardens nicely on the cookies after they are finished and is great for jobs like this where the icing isn’t really the star of the show – just an accent piece.

I do love the cute little gingerbread man cookies, but I love decorating the other shapes too. The trees and stars are my favorites, but I think that is because it’s easy for me to make them look decent. 🙂

Tips for making Gingerbread Cookies Soft

Always remember when baking that the amount of flour you use may need adjusting based on your elevation and even the weather. This dough needs to be thick enough to roll out and cut pretty easily, it will stick if there isn’t a little bit of flour on the board.

I do refrigerate the dough – but only for 5 minutes! The trick is to make the dough, roll it out and cut it, and then refrigerate the cut-out cookies on the baking sheets for just a short time. This makes certain they won’t spread too much.

And don’t forget!! I have a huge, helpful post about freezing, storing, and making Christmas cookies ahead of time. Check it out!

Tips for decorating Soft Gingerbread Cookies

Now it’s time for the fun part – decorating your gingerbread cookies! There’s no right or wrong way to do this, but here are some tips for decorating your yummy cookies:

• Make sure your cookies are completely cooled before icing. Otherwise, the heat from the cookie will melt the icing and make a mess.
• Use a piping or ziplock bag (with a small hole cut in one corner) to pipe the icing onto the cookies. This is perfect for creating precise designs on your gingerbread.
• For an extra special touch, add food coloring to the icing in fun and festive colors.
• Use different shapes and sizes of cookie cutters to create various cookies! They’ll look so good together on a platter.
• Experiment with different flavors in the icing, such as almond extract or lemon juice.
• Add some sprinkles, candy cane pieces, or chopped nuts on top of the icing before it sets.

How to store the Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Pop your decorated cookies into an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. They should last for up to 1 week, but let’s be real – they’ll probably be eaten way before then!

You can also pre-make the cookie dough and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can this Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe be frozen?

Absolutely! The cookies can be frozen for 8-12 months. I’d leave the decorating until after they’ve been thawed and brought back to room temperature. No one wants soggy icing on their gingerbread cookies!

If you want cookies on hand for unexpected guests or a last-minute holiday party, freezing the dough is a great option. Here’s how to freeze gingerbread cookie dough:

1. You can freeze individual dough balls or roll them out and cut them into shapes (this will save you time later).
2. Place the dough balls or shapes on a lined baking sheet and freeze until solid.
3. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.
4. You can bake them straight from the freezer; just add a minute or two to the cooking time.