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These classic iced Gingerbread cookies are the perfect holiday treat! Made with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, they are just the right amount of sweetness. Top them off with a simple icing glaze for a festive touch.
It’s Christmas cookie season, and every year, my family enjoys making gingerbread cookies during the holiday season. Most years, we make delicious gingerbread men, gingerbread house cookies (also known as gingerbread mug huggers), and a gingerbread village to decorate and display. The smell of gingerbread is classic this time of the year, and this recipe is so easy and delicious. I hope you enjoy our family’s favorite, iced gingerbread cookies.
Key Ingredients In Gingerbread Cookies
Ginger, Spices and Molasses
This delicious recipe has a big flavor from all the amazing spices and the MOLASSES! For years, I didn’t want to make ginger cookies or any baking that included molasses because of its extra thick consistency. It seemed a bit intimidating, but I am here to tell you these are worth making!
Eggs
The eggs give these cookies structure and richness and help keep them the perfect texture!
Brown Sugar
Although this recipe will work with white sugar if that’s all you have on hand, brown sugar is a better and classic choice. It enhances the flavors from the spices and molasses, giving these cookies extra delicious flavor!
Tips and Tricks to Making Iced Gingerbread Cookies
Chill The Dough
Chilling your dough is very important and is not a step you want to rush or skip! The dough is slightly sticky once mixed; therefore, it must be chilled for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Chilled dough will also hold its shape better, which is essential if you choose to make any shape out of your gingerbread dough. Make sure to wrap the dough in plastic before placing it in the refrigerator.
Roll Out the Gingerbread
Once you have let the dough chill, you will want to roll it out to around ¼ inch thick. The gingerbread dough may still be sticky. Add lots of flour on the board or counter before you place the dough down to roll it out. Rubbing flour on the rolling pin and your hands is a good idea, too. Don’t worry about adding too much; your cookies will still turn out even with all the extra flour.
Don’t Overbake the Gingerbread Cookies
The longer the Christmas cookies bake, the more crunch they will have. If you are hoping for soft gingerbread cookies, be sure to keep an eye on them. If you accidentally overcook them, simply ice them and place your cookies in an airtight container overnight. By morning, they will have softened to a deliciously chewy cookie.
Ice While Cookies Are Warm
It’s best practice to ice your cookies while warm, as the icing will apply a bit smoother. Another option for these cookies is to simply sprinkle sugar on top.
Let The Icing Set
Allow the icing to cool and set for at least 1 to 2 hours. Test the icing by lightly touching the top of the cookie to see if the icing is soft or squishy.
Shop Cookie Cutters
I get asked every year for the link to my cute little gingerbread house mug hugger, so I thought I would add a section with all my favorite cookie cutters for you to shop!
Shop more of my favorite baking must-haves in the B Vintage Style Shop
How To Make Iced Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
The main ingredients for gingerbread cookies include:
- 2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour. : All-purpose flour serves as the base for the cookie dough, providing structure and texture. You may use whole wheat flour if that is all you have on hand, but white flour is best.
- 10 tbsp Butter: Softened to room temperature. Unsalted butter adds richness and flavor to the cookies. It also contributes to the tender texture.
- 1 Cup of Brown Sugar: Brown sugar, whether light or dark, is used to sweeten the dough and adds a hint of molasses flavor.
- 1/4 Cup Molasses: Molasses is a key ingredient that gives gingerbread cookies their distinctive flavor. It also contributes moisture and helps to create a chewy texture.
- 1 Large Egg: A beaten egg acts as a binder, helping to hold the dough together.
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder or Baking Soda: Either baking powder or baking soda (or a combination of both) is used as a leavening agent to make the cookies rise and become light and fluffy.
- 1/2 tsp White Vinegar: Vinegar helps the gingerbread rise, producing a softer and more delicate texture. It will also help to enhance the flavor.
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract: Vanilla will help to balance the spices with its sweetness.
- 2 tsp Ground Ginger: The star spice that gives gingerbread its characteristic warmth and flavor.
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon: Adds a sweet and warm aroma.
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves and Nutmeg: These spices complement the ginger and cinnamon, providing depth to the flavor.
- 1/4 tsp Coarse Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor of the cookies and balances the sweetness.
Ingredients For Icing
- 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Clear vanilla (regular vanilla is fine, but your icing won’t be as white)
- 1 tbsp Milk
Step-by-Step Instructions For Gingerbread Dough
- Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using a hand or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar and butter on medium speed until it’s creamy or fluffy for a minute or so. Add the wet ingredients, including the molasses, egg, white vinegar, and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides if needed. The butter may separate, but that’s okay.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients: flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, beating just until combined. Mix until combined and the batter is smooth, thick, and slightly sticky.
- Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and cover it with flour, then fold the parchment paper to make a package for each portion.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare large baking sheets by lining them with clean parchment paper.
- Roll out the cookies with a marble rolling pin or French rolling pin. Add flour to your rolling pin, hands, and cutting board. Using cookie cutters of your choice, cut the cookies. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets, leaving several inches between cookies.
- Sprinkle the cookies with the coarse sugar and bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. For my tiny stars, I only cooked them for 4 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place the cookies on a cooling wire rack!
Step-by-Step Instructions For Gingerbread Cookie Icing
- Whisk the vanilla and milk together in a small bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar, adding a small amount of confectioners’ sugar until it’s smooth and the consistency is slightly thicker than syrup.
- Ice the cookies. For the best results, ice your cookies while they are still warm.
Storing and Freezing Gingerbread Cookies
This gingerbread cookie dough is wonderful as you can freeze it before or after it is baked. Place it in an airtight container and store it for up to three months after it has been mixed.
Once you have baked the cookies, they will store or freeze well. Place them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I hope you love these enjoyable cookies! This gingerbread recipe makes the best gingerbread villages and chewy gingerbread cookies. It is a great way to leave the whole home smelling amazing and muster up those nostalgic memories of Christmas past!
Don’t forget to Pin this one for later!
More Holiday Treats
I have a few other favorite holiday treats this time of year, like my
Frequently Asked
This is completely dependent on personal preference. I prefer light molasses, but dark molasses or blackstrap molasses will work, too. Go with the type of molasses you love the most.
Be sure you have chilled your dough long enough. I recommend that you chill your gingerbread dough for at least 3 hours or even overnight before using it.
Yes, you can do both! For best results, place the dough in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Baking sheets
- 1 Cooling wire rack
- 1 Marble rolling pin
Ingredients
Ingredients For Gingerbread Cookie
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour You may use whole wheat flour if that is all you have on hand but white flour is best.
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients For Icing
- 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Clear vanilla regular vanilla is fine but your icing won't be as white
- 1 tbsp Milk
Instructions
Step-by-Step Instructions For Gingerbread Dough
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar and butter on medium speed until it’s creamy or fluffy, for a minute or so.
- Add the wet ingredients including the molasses, egg, white vinegar and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides if needed. The butter may separate but that’s ok.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, beating just until combined. Mix until combined and the batter is smooth, quite thick and slightly sticky.
- Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and cover it with flour, then fold the parchment paper to make a package for each portion. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare large baking sheets by lining them with clean parchment paper.
- Roll out the cookies with a marble rolling pin or french rolling pin. Make sure you add plenty of flour to your rolling pin, hands and cutting board.
- Using cookie cutters of your choice, cut the cookies.
- Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets, leaving several inches between cookies.
- Sprinkle the cookies with the coarse sugar and bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. For my tiny stars, I only cooked them for 4 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place the cookies on a cooling wire rack!
Step-by-Step Instructions For Gingerbread Cookie Icing
- Whisk the vanilla and milk together in a small bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar, adding a small amount of confectioners' sugar at a time until it’s smooth and the consistency is slightly thicker than syrup.
- Ice the cookies. For the best results, ice your cookies while they are still warm.
Thank you for sharing all these amazing recipes! The photos are gorgeous!!!
Hello, I am just wondering if we are supposed to put molasses in the mug huggers? It’s on the recipe ingredients list but doesn’t mention it again in the recipe. I put it in with the brown sugar you suggested and it’s quite dark and very strong molasses flavour.
Hi! Yes, you were supposed to. You can always alter the molasses amount if you find it to strong.