Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Make Soft Gingerbread Cookies with molasses in 30 mins. Perfect as a holiday treat, these cookies are irresistible!

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup molasses unsulphured
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp dried ground ginger
• Optional: granulated sugar to roll cookie dough balls in

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Oven

Preheat your oven to a cozy 350°F so the cookies develop a slightly crisp exterior while remaining tender and soft inside. Give the oven enough time to reach temperature so the first tray slides in and browns evenly — no peeking required, just confidence and a warm kitchen vibe.

Step 2: Create the Creamy Base

Start by creaming the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is visibly lighter in color and airy in texture. Use an electric mixer on medium speed and watch the butter transform from dense and satiny to pale, whipped ribbons; this aeration is the secret to a delicate crumb in the finished cookie.

Step 3: Add the Depth

Fold the large egg and unsulphured molasses into the creamed butter-sugar until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl so the glossy, amber molasses streaks disappear into a smooth, slightly darker batter. The mixture should look cohesive, with a silky sheen and an aroma of warm molasses and butter that hints at the spices to come.

Step 4: Combine the Dry Components

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger until the dry mix is uniformly speckled. The goal is an even distribution of leavening and spice so every bite tastes balanced — no clumps, just a faint cinnamon dusting across a pale flour bed.

Step 5: Assemble the Dough

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until the dough comes together into a soft, slightly tacky mass. Stop as soon as there are no streaks of flour; the dough should be pliable, slightly glossy from the molasses, and speckled with warm spice — tender and ready to be portioned.

Step 6: Shape and Sugar

Scoop the dough into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, rolling each gently between your palms for a neat dome, then optionally roll the balls in granulated sugar so they wear a shimmering, crystalline coat. Place the sugared dough balls spaced 2–3 inches apart on a parchment-lined tray so they can spread and create those rustic, crinkled tops.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection

Slide the tray into the preheated oven and bake 10–12 minutes until the cookies are set at the edges and deep golden-brown, then let them rest on the baking sheet for ten minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. The finished cookies should be soft and slightly domed with a rustic crinkled surface and a warm, spiced aroma — ready to be stacked and shared.

Notes

• Ensure butter is at room temperature for proper mixing.
• Adjust spices to taste for preferred ginger and cinnamon strength.
• Avoid over mixing the dough to keep cookies soft.