Looking for the perfect gingerbread cookie recipe? Here you go! These cookies keep their shape, and won’t spread during baking! Pick up a gingerbread cookie cutter here, and get baking!
There are few things more disappointing than baking cookies to decorate and having them spread out like a pancake during the baking process. That Santa? Looks like Africa. Snowflake? A meteor. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Really though, it’s disappointing. I’ve been doing some research, and while recommendations range from chilling dough, to increasing oven temp, to using better baking sheets — I’m convinced that omitting baking powder is key. You’ll notice that this recipe has NONE. Perhaps it wouldn’t be an issue (I haven’t made this recipe WITH baking powder), but I was so impressed at the zero spreading that I wouldn’t go any other way.
As for chilling the dough, this was a BIG mistake for this recipe. The chilling is fine, but then you MUST bring it back to room temperature before rolling and cutting. I didn’t do this for my first batch and was starting to think I’d lost my cookie-mojo: the dough was strangely dry and crumbly, resulting in ugly cracked cookies. Then, I used the same dough only warmed to room temperature and it was PERFECT. Soft, moist, easy to work with. I’ve never encountered a dough quite like that before! Usually cold = good. NOT ANYMORE!
So go make some cookies this weekend, get some red hots (if you can find them!) to decorate with, and ENJOY!
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup molasses (unsulphured is best, DO NOT use blackstrap)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Whisk the flour, salt, and spices together in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until they've just come together (we don't want them too light and fluffy).
- Add the egg, and mix until incorporated.
- Add the molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest (if using). Mix until incorporated.
- Slowly mix in the flour mixture until your dough forms.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to ¼" thickness. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 8-9 minutes.
- If you're not immediately making the cookies, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate (or freeze) until you are ready to use it. Before using, bring to room temperature.
Looking for more cookie recipes? Here are bunch of my favorites (and see more HERE!):
Fresh Cranberry Almond Soft Batch Cookies
Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Chocolate Almond Espresso Shortbread Cookies
Salty Honey Cookies
Neiman Marcus $250 Cookies
this sounds perfect! But one question, should the butter be softened or refrigerated?
Thanks, Denise! The butter should definitely be room temperature — I’ve updated the ingredients list to make that more clear! Thanks for asking! xo
I did today for my tree , and I loved it !!! Perfect thanks .
Thanks, Angelica!
They look delicious! Do you know how long you can keep these refrigerated before using?
Thanks! Do you mean baked or unbaked in the fridge?
Oh, I’m sorry, I meant how long can you refrigerate the dough before cutting and baking cookies? I have a lot of company this weekend and want to prep as much as possible!
Aha! I would try to make it within 24 hours of baking, but I bet that could be stretched to 48… I just worry about it drying out a little bit. Whenever you make it, definitely wrap it up nice and tight! Also: you could freeze it, if it’s going to be more than 24 hours! I shape my dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and stick it in the freezer until the morning I want to use it. Or, transfer to the fridge the night before. Have a great weekend!
Can I just use the ground ginger SPICE instead of fresh produce? I don’t have the gadget/grater to grind well. If so should I reduce the measurement?
Hi Jolyn — YES! That’s what I actually meant for you to use (so don’t reduce!)… sorry for being unclear! Enjoy!
Are these cookies soft and chewy, or hard?
They’re definitely not hard, as long as you don’t overbake them! I wouldn’t necessarily call them chewy, though. Soft, yes! Enjoy!
Thanks for the reply! Merry Christmas!
You too!
is your dough sticky? Mine was super sticky couldn’t do anything with it.
Before refrigerating, it’s definitely sticky! Was yours still sticky after chilling? If so, add more flour!
Does the dark brown sugar make much of a difference? I’d prefer to use light as it’s what I always have on hand.
I wouldn’t worry about it, as long as you aren’t using WHITE sugar! Enjoy, Melissa!
What happens if you use white sugar??? I just did!
Ha! I guess you’ll find out! (but really, I’m not totally sure… the texture/flavor might be slightly different, but it’ll still be sweet and delicious, I think!) Good luck!
hey, how long will these keep once cooked? I’m making food hampers for Christmas and I don’t want to risk making them too early!
Hi Laura! I think you could make these 3-4 days in advance, if you keep them in an airtight container! Enjoy!
These cookies hold their shape fabulously! They are a little heavy. Good flavour but not quite perfect taste for me.
I followed the recipe exactly, weighed my ingred., except went a little light on the lemon peel. Good gingerbread cookie recipe.
I have a delicious gingerbread cookie recipe but they do spread, looking like a cross between grizzly bears and buffalo. I will try this recipe and add a pinch of cardamom. I think that’s what makes my recipe taste so good.
Yum! Sounds great, Sherry!
l am so very confused. Followed directions to a T and there is not enough liquid. Am l missing something?
Hi Anne! Sorry to hear they’re too dry! Without seeing all of your ingredients, I’m not sure what to tell you! Was it still too dry after letting it rest in the fridge? If so, I’d put it in a food processor and gently pulse it with 1 tsp more of liquid at a time. Good luck!
Hi, I want to make these but do not see any “rest in the refrigerator time” in the recipe but saw you mention it a few times. Do you always let it rest in the refrigerator or is it optional and for how long?
Hi Annalize! I deliberately don’t call for refrigerating the dough — but if you look at the very last instruction, I say you CAN refrigerate if you need to: just bring the dough back to room temperature before proceeding. It’s pretty tricky to work with when it’s cold! Enjoy!
Glad to see people are still active on this post–I’ve been sharing this as my favorite gingerbread recipe!
@Anne I’ve also thought it’s a bit too dry, but I add a generous helping of fresh orange zest and somehow the citrus oils combined with just letting it rest at room temperature in a bowl make it magically into a smooth dough.
Also, I don’t think the baking powder is related to spreading since it usually just makes things fluffy. I’ve added 1tsp to it and the cookies turn out soft and chewy, just perfect! I’d guess that the lack of spreading is due more to slightly less molasses and butter than I’ve seen in other recipes. Either way, I’m amazed at how perfectly these turn out, and they keep really well too. Thanks for this!
Thank you so much! I made these with my toddler today and this is by far the BEST gingerbread recipe I have ever used. Thank you for sharing!
Yay! So glad to hear it, Ashley! Xo
Hi! I was wondering if this recipe is ideal for making small gingerbread houses? Would it hold together or crumble?
Hi Eunice! I haven’t tried it for making gingerbread houses, so I can’t say with certainty… but I think if you baked it a little longer, it would work great! Let me know how it goes! xo
Have you tried making a triple or larger batch at once? I need to make a ton of these and I’m trying to cut down on batches if possible. Thanks!
I haven’t tried making a huge batch, but as long as your mixer can handle it there shouldn’t be a problem!
These gingerbread men look perfect! Do they make a softer or crisp cookie after cooked?
They are fairly soft (unless you over-bake them…)!
Mary
Best gingerbread recipe I have come across! They have been flying out of the tin today at work!
Yay! Thanks, Rosie — I’m glad to hear it! xo
I have just tried making these following the instructions but the dough seems to just break when I try to lift during rolling and cutting. Any advice? It’s very sticky.
Hmm, did you try adding more flour? Or using plenty of flour for rolling? I’m assuming it isn’t crumbly, if it’s sticky, but breaking due to lack of flour. I hope it works out!
This recipe worked like a charm with my cookie cutter and stamper. The dough was the right consistency, not too sticky or too dry. The shape held up very well during baking. The taste is also great! I will be adding this to my recipe book for future use. Thanks so much!
Yay! So glad they worked for you, Eva!! xo
These were by far the WORST tasting gingerbread cookies I’ve ever had and gingerbread cookies are my favorite. Did I do something wrong? I see everyone saying how good they were and I thought they tasted like cardboard……#gross
These were by far the WORST tasting gingerbread cookies I’ve ever had and gingerbread cookies are my favorite. Did I do something wrong? I see everyone saying how good they were and I thought they tasted like cardboard……#gross
So sorry they didn’t work out for you, Sara! I hope you find another recipe you love! xo
Made the recipe as published. Wonderful results. I really like the fact they don,t run at the edges. Out of the bowl,rolling pin, saran wrap and gingerbread men in 9 minutes. Now to decorate and make another batch.
BTW can you double the recipe?
Thanks
Hi Heinz! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
You absolutely can double the batch, as long as your equipment can handle it! Enjoy! xo
This is the first time I made gingerbread men. I have family from Canada coming to the UK next week. How far in advance can i ice them. They taste fab☺ x
Hi Janette! The icing will depend on what kind of icing you’re using, but will definitely last longer than the cookies! I’d make sure you don’t make the cookies more than a few days ahead of time. Enjoy! xo
So, I really suck at cookies. I’m OK with cakes, I’m OK with pies but I mess up cookies with a depressing regularity.
Each time I’ve tried gingerbread men, they spread all over the baking sheet like mad. I found this recipe and thought I’d found the solution to my problem. I followed the instructions to a T, and found myself with a dough so sticky that I couldn’t even roll it, because it stuck so badly to both the rolling pin and the counter. I eventually managed to painstakingly form two baking sheets worth of misshapen (because of the sticky dough) ginger bread men, but after they were cooked, while they did keep the shape they had when i put them into the oven, they were fairly hard and dry; not a very pleasant texture at all. Also, the taste was so-so (too much ginger and not enough cloves for my taste). By comparison, the last recipe I tried (Cora’s ginger men) looked absolutely ludicrous when I made them but tasted great and had a nice — if a bit crumbly — texture.
… (Just had a look at Cora’s website, and they changed the flour quantity from 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups flour since the screen capture I used; perhaps it’s worth trying again)
Thank you so much! I thought I was doing something completely wrong :’)
What liquid do you recommend adding if the dough is dry and crumbly?
Hi Keith! I think milk would be the best option here, but be careful and add only a little bit at a time. It’s likely that the texture is going to change substantially if you’re adding liquid at the end (you’re going to activate the gluten by mixing it more and more), so if you have time: let the dough rest (overnight in the fridge if you can!) as much as you can. Good luck!
awesome! thx
What kind of molasses is best to use?
Hi Carolyn! Dark (sulphured) is best, but just not blackstrap!! Enjoy!
I used Blackstrap. The recipe didn’t say not to use it. The dough is crumbly and tastes too strong.
Sorry, Vashti! I’ll update the recipe now.
I just made these and they don’t spread at all, it was awesome! And the bake time was spot on as well, even in my very sad rental apartment oven.
I had to use gluten free flour (for a mixed dietary crowd). If you need to use GF flour as well, I recommend using just a wee bit more moisture, the flour made them a bit crumbly and I didn’t realize until after I took them out of the fridge to reach room temp (going into the ziploc it looked fine, coming out they needed about a tablespoon more moisture).
Thank you for the great recipe!
Yay! Thanks for the gluten-free tips, April! xoxo
I just tried these cookies, I’m a terrible baker but these were super easy and are abosulutely the best tasting gingerbread cookies I’ve ever had, ‘my grandkids love them and they did not spread at all, I rolled the dough out to quarter of an inch, they turned our perfect.
So glad you liked it, Cheri! xo
Made these yesterday and baked them 1 minute longer because they appeared to need it, still not browned in the end, however, outside is hard as rock, the inside a “very” dense chew, inedible! The flavour is also very strong. The batter seemed dry but they rolled out great and held firm during baking, they just didn’t result well in flavour or texture. I am no expert but felt this recipe was very finicky. Will try something different next time. Hoping to put holes in them for tree decorations, so they are not totally wasted.
I just read the comment above and I did use black strap, presumably this is where the strong flavour came from, not sure if it impacts texture. If that’s my issue, I would try these again.
This recipe looked great for Christmas baking. I attempted it this morning and followed the recipe – although I’ll admit I may have overheat the butter and brown sugar. The dough came out very crumbly and was impossible to roll out. So I gave it another go and the same thing happened. Not sure what I’m doing wrong here.
Sorry it isn’t working for you Nancy! I wish I knew how to help! xo
Perfect! I agree with Caitlin – adding a teaspoon of baking powder just makes them a little fluffier, but the edges are still crisp. No spreading at all! 😀
My only issue was that they seemed overly spicy. Although, oddly enough, after they’d sat in tupperware for a day they seemed to not have that problem as much. Still, next time I make them I’m going to cut the ground ginger down to 75% of the suggested (because I think it was the ginger that was too much). I want these to be a crowd-pleaser and very spicy cookies are not for everybody.
Added a little store-bought icing to decorate. Amazing!
Thanks for the tips, Gillian!! I’ll have to re-make these this year to see about altering spice — it’s been a while (and I do definitely love spicy cookies!). Have a wonderful rest of your year! xo
just tried this recipe, followed all instructions but the dough turned out WAY TOO DRY. needed to add lots of water for the recipe to work-
Sorry to hear it Miche! I’m thinking of changing the instructions to be by weight so that we’re all measuring flour in the same way… I think that really throws it off depending on how you scoop! Hope they turned out in the end. xo
These were great!! Came out perfect and I could taste all the spices!!
Loved it so much, I’m making a second batch!
Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Thanks, Deborah!! I’m so glad you liked them! xo
Very confusing recipe. You said not to refrigerate, or at least bring to room temperature. So soft and sticky it can’t be rolled and cut. In a reply to a comment about this, you asked if it was sticky even after refrigeration. Another, did you add more flour. The flavor is delicious, but the instructions leave a lot to be desired.
Hi Kitty! Sorry for the confusion — I never know what tweaks other people are doing in their kitchen, so various approaches seem like the best trouble-shooting method from a distance! I’m open to any better one-size-fits-all instruction suggestions you have.
After being baked, how long do they keep when being stored in a tin or plastic container?
Hi Claudia! These are definitely best within the first few days, but I think they’d last about a week! Enjoy! xo
Hi there,
So I just got finished making these for my daughter’s first grade class. They are having a holiday party tomorrow where the one and only activity happening is decorating THESE gingerbread people. I don’t know where I got the nerve to volunteer to bake all the gingerbread cookies considering I don’t think I’ve ever made them before, and then I found this no spread recipe. The comments on this thread left me conflicted whether or not to make this recipe, but I went for it. So glad I did. It was simple. The dough came out great. The cookies are picture perfect. Please don’t let the comments sway you from making this recipe. The taste/ texture, was a little different, which made me understand some of the comments, but still delicious! (I added a little nutmeg also).
**I decided to add a little bit of baking powder (1/2 teaspoon about)… once the dough was made I decided it looked like I would have no room for error because I’m making for an entire 1st grade class so I decided to make a second batch. In the second batch just for an experiment I left out the baking powder as the recipe suggests… There was no contest! The batch WITHOUT the baking powder was most definitely the clear winner here. The baking power made them chewy, but it’s a very dense cookie so it was just not as good as the version without the baking powder.
Hi Jillian! Thanks for the detailed comment — I’m so happy you took the time to test baking powder vs. not, and share the results! So glad these worked out well for you and the kiddos! xo