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Bakery-Style Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

A close-up stack of four soft gingerbread cookies, with one leaning against the side, showing a crackled, sugary surface.
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Make tender, thick gingerbread cookies that stay soft for days. This easy recipe delivers rich molasses flavor and warm spice, perfect for holiday baking and decorating.

Ingredients

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  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: Royal icing or simple glaze for decorating

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Set this dry mixture aside.
  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
  5. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap and flatten slightly into a disk. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. Chilling is key for thick, no-spread cookies.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes.
  8. Place the cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. For soft cookies, aim for the edges to be just set but the centers still look slightly soft. Do not overbake.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Once cool, decorate with icing if desired.

Notes

  • For the thickest cookies, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness and chill thoroughly.
  • If you prefer a stronger molasses flavor, substitute 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar with packed brown sugar.
  • Store cooled, undecorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain softness.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishcraze.com/soft-gingerbread-cookies/