Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (2024)

4.68 from 111 votes

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December 16, 2018

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These soft-baked Ginger Cookies, or Gingerdoodles, are the quintessential Christmas cookie! Chewy, buttery, and full of warm spices that everyone will love.

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (1)

Ginger Cookies

Well friends, here is my beloved Ginger Cookies Recipe aka Gingerdoodles. I made a much spicier, gingery-er version last year but only a few people like their chewy gingersnaps with a big fat punch in the face…or throat. So I made a simmered down version of that cookie that my husband so lovingly calls Gingerdoodles.

Main Ingredients Needed

Okay, let’s jump right into the ingredients list because once you start to smell those delicious spices, you’re going to want these cookies like NOW. So here’s what you’ll need:

  • Butter –for softness and flavor.
  • Sugar –this not only goes inside of the cookie but on the outside.
  • Brown Sugar –feel free to use dark brown sugar here if you looooove that molasses taste.
  • Egg –for a chewy texture.
  • Vanilla –for flavor of course. This helps balance out all of those strong spices.
  • Molasses –a staple in any gingerbread-esque recipe.
  • Cinnamon –this smell really puts me in the holiday spirit.
  • Cloves –for that pungent, warm taste.
  • Nutmeg –nutty and slightly sweet.
  • Ground Ginger –it wouldn’t be a ginger cookie recipe without ginger!
  • Salt –to help balance out and bring out the flavor.
  • All-Purpose Flour –for structure.
  • Baking Soda –to help the cookies rise while baking.

I have to confess that molasses is not something I typically have on hand. I usually just make gingerbread cookies and cake with it and then save it in my cupboard for next year. But, they are a classic recipe and I promise this one won’t disappoint. But, in case you don’t have any molasses or ginger is not your thing, try my Christmas Sugar Cookies, Actually Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies or check out this big list of 50 Christmas Cookies. Surely there is something there you will swoon over.

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (2)

How to Make Ginger Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, vanilla, and molasses. Whip 1-2 minutes or until it turns a light brown color. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix until dry ingredients are just combined.

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (3)

  1. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a ball and coat in granulated sugar. (This is a great step to involve your kids in the kitchen).Place on silicone baking mat, lightly greased cookie sheet or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (4)

  1. Bake 7-9 minutes or until outside looks cooked but inside is still soft and gooey. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
  2. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (5)

Leftovers

This section is for IF you have any leftover Ginger Cookies. They taste so good, they’ll go fast.

Store in an airtight container (Ziploc) at room temperature for up to a week.You can extend their shelf life by keeping them in the fridge for an extra week or the freezer for up to 3 months!

Make-Ahead

Ginger Cookies are a great make-ahead recipe. Simply follow the recipe and stop before you roll the ginger cookie dough into sugar. Freeze the doughat this point for up to 3 months.

When ready to bake, take the cookie dough out of the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then pick up where the recipe left off by rolling the dough in sugar and baking.

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (6)

Variations

As I have had this Ginger Cookies Recipe up for a couple of years now I’ve gotten a ton of comments telling me how you all have tweaked this recipe to make it your own. So here are some variations that readers like you have loved:

Candied Ginger.I believe this was mixed into the dough and then rolled in sugar and baked.

Dipped in White Chocolate and Sprinkles.This was to dress it up a bit and make it look more festive. Plus chocolate is always good.

Icing.A simple mixture of powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk. Skip the sugar coating if you do this one.

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (7)

More Christmas Recipes to Love!

  • Gingerbread Cookies That Actually Taste Good
  • Spicy Gingerbread Cookies
  • Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

These are pretty fabulous warm, but just as chewy and delicious cooled. Add some nog and you got yourself a very festive treat!

Printable recipe card below 🙂 Happy Holidays friends!

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (8)

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4.68 from 111 votes

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles"

These soft baked Ginger Cookies, or Gingerdoodles, are the quintessential Christmas cookie! Chewy, buttery and full of warm spices that everyone will love.

servings 36 small cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 28 minutes mins

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, vanilla, and molasses. Whip 1-2 minutes or until it turns a light brown color. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix until dry ingredients are just combined.

  • Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a ball and coat in granulated sugar. Place on silicone baking mat, lightly greased cookie sheet or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

  • Bake 7-9 minutes or until outside looks cooked but inside is still soft and gooey. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

  • Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 47mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ginger cookies, ginger cookies recipe, ginger molasses cookies, soft ginger cookies

Soft Ginger Cookies Recipe AKA "Gingerdoodles" - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

Why are my ginger biscuits soft? ›

Mistake #2: Not resting your dough

After the gingerbread is cut out, Lomas recommends putting it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to three days. Chilling the dough before it goes into a hot oven gives the butter a chance to firm up and reduces how much it spreads when baking.

What's the difference between ginger snaps and ginger cookies? ›

Ginger Snaps are simply a variation of the traditional Gingerbread cookie. They're known for their crisper quality; their “snap” if you will.

Why don t my ginger cookies crackle on the top? ›

Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated) Not creaming the fat long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work)

What keeps biscuits soft? ›

We've got a clever trick that will keep your biscuits soft and chewy for longer. The solution is as simple as putting the biscuits in an airtight jar along with a small piece of bread (no more than half a slice). If you don't have an airtight jar, a zip-lock bag also works well.

Why are my biscuits not soft and fluffy? ›

Overmixing: If you mix the dough too much, the gluten in the flour can develop too much and create tough, hard biscuits. Be sure to mix the dough just until it comes together and avoid kneading or overworking the dough. Overbaking: Biscuits can become dry and hard if they are overbaked.

Are ginger snap cookies good for inflammation? ›

Snappy Ginger Cookies employ the healing power of ginger to reduce inflammation and settle digestive distress.

Do ginger cookies have any health benefits? ›

Despite their drawbacks, ginger cookies offer some nutritional value, and boost your iron and manganese intakes. Iron plays a key role in energy production, and it supports tissue health by helping red blood cells carry oxygen to your tissues.

What is another name for ginger snap cookies? ›

A gingersnap, ginger snap, ginger nut, or ginger biscuit is a biscuit flavored with ginger. Ginger snaps are flavored with powdered ginger and a variety of other spices, most commonly cinnamon, molasses and clove.

Why are my cookies crunchy instead of soft? ›

Sugar dissolved in baking forms a syrup as the dough heats up. Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

Should gingerbread cookies be soft or crunchy? ›

First, the texture of the cookie needs to be fairly crispy along the outside with a semi-soft, cake-like inside, and like all "perfect" cut-out cookies, they definitely need to keep their shape when baked. Secondly, they must taste sweet but notably spicy, and have a rich molasses flavour.

How do you know when ginger cookies are done? ›

Toothpick Test – This is one of the most common ways to check cookie doneness, and it can be used for many other desserts as well. Insert a toothpick into the centre of a cookie. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the cookies are done.

What is the trick to making soft and chewy cookies? ›

How to Make Soft Cookies
  1. Cream your butter and sugar well.
  2. Choose a low-protein flour.
  3. Don't overmix your dough.
  4. Chill your dough.
  5. Use a higher ratio of white to brown sugar.
  6. Don't chill your dough.
  7. Smash your dough and bang the pan.
Feb 19, 2021

How do you keep gingerbread cookies from getting hard? ›

To make soft and chewy gingerbread cookies, follow these tips:
  1. Use molasses: Molasses is a key ingredient in gingerbread cookies, and it's what gives them their soft and chewy texture. ...
  2. Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing the dough will develop the gluten in the flour, which will make your cookies tough.
Jan 6, 2023

How to make cookies that are hard soft? ›

Wrap them immediately

Just wrap each individual cookie in plastic wrap while they are still warm and the moisture created should soften them back up. You could also try putting all the cookies into a container to lock the heat in and steam them a bit.

Why are my biscuits soft and not crunchy? ›

If your freshly baked biscuits seem too soft after they're cooled, then they're either under baked, or there is too much liquid in the recipe. When stamping out biscuits with a cutter, you might find that they stretch as you transfer them to the tray with your hands, and become misshapen.

How do you firm up soft biscuits? ›

The best way to make soft biscuits crispy again is to put them in the oven at a low temperature (200–250°F) for about 10 minutes. The heat will help dry out the moisture in the biscuits, making them crispy again.

Why do biscuits become soft after opening? ›

As in bread, starch from the flour in biscuits begins to crystalize after a few days, theoretically making biscuits more brittle. But in many biscuits, the high sugar content masks this process by absorbing water from the atmosphere, ultimately resulting in a soft biscuit.

How do you harden soft biscuits? ›

Extended Baking Time: One way to achieve a crunchier texture is to bake the cookies for a longer period of time than the original recipe suggests. Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning, but allow them to bake until they turn golden brown around the edges.

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