Double chocolate gingerbread drop cookies with cocoa-molasses dough, warm spices and visible semisweet chocolate pockets.
Cocoa in the dough and chocolate pieces give these rounds two sources of chocolate flavor. Portion the dough evenly so the cookies finish together, and let the chocolate firm during cooling. Their shape comes from scooping rather than rolling a sheet for cutters.
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Double Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Per tray: 10–12 minutes · About 3 trays; bake one at a time
Allow 73 minutes: 20 hands-on, 0 chilling, 33 for all baking trays, 20 cooling. Cooling includes the pan rest. Optional decoration, ingredient warm-up and extra trays add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Digital kitchen scale and US measuring cups/spoons
- Large mixing bowl and electric mixer
- Cookie scoop and wide spatula
- Two 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Scale ingredients and US equivalents. Keep cookie size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. More trays add time.
Instructions
Build the dough
- Whisk flour, soda, salt, cocoa and spices. Beat butter with brown sugar until creamy; mix in molasses, then the dry ingredients. Fold in semisweet chocolate chips or 1/4-inch chunks. This molasses dough contains no egg.
Rest the dough
- No scheduled chilling is needed. Keep dough and pans cool; if the dough becomes greasy, cool it briefly before shaping.
Portion consistently
- Heat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional. For fan, reduce by about 25°F and check early. Line pans with parchment. Scoop rounded tablespoons, about 28 g, and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart. Keep the top rounded; optional sugar for rolling is additional.
Watch for doneness
- Bake one tray on the center rack for 10–12 minutes. Look for set edges and a dry-looking surface; soft cookie centers firm as they cool. Check early with fan and cool pans before refilling.
Set before moving
- Rest 5 minutes on the pan, then move gently to a rack for about 15 minutes or until fully cool. Optional prepared icing is additional; let it set before layering.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Keep chocolate pieces small
Chips or 1/4-inch chunks distribute through each cookie without breaking the dough structure.
Avoid extra cocoa
Cocoa absorbs moisture. Use the stated tablespoon rather than adding it until the dough looks very dark.
Read the surface
Dark chocolate makes browning hard to see. Look for set edges and dry-looking tops.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 5 days | Store fully cooled cookies airtight in a cool, dry place. Let icing dry, then separate layers with parchment; follow any icing storage instructions. |
| Refrigeration | Dough: up to 48 hours | Keep dough tightly wrapped. Let it soften just enough to roll while remaining cool. Plain baked cookies do not need refrigeration. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 2 months at 0°F (−18°C) | Wrap flattened dough portions tightly, then bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and roll while cool. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 2 months at 0°F (−18°C) | For best appearance, freeze undecorated, cooled cookies airtight. Thaw covered at room temperature before icing. |
| Restoring | Before decorating | For crisper edges, warm plain cookies at 300°F (150°C) conventional for 3–5 minutes. Cool on a rack. Do not reheat iced cookies. |
Notes
- Double chocolate means cocoa in the molasses dough plus semisweet chocolate pieces. A small cocoa quantity keeps the gingerbread flavor clear; adding much more without adjusting flour would dry the dough. No scheduled chill is needed with cool softened butter.
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition per serving; brands and portion sizes vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two chocolate components?
Unsweetened cocoa flavors the dough, and semisweet chips or chopped chocolate form the melted pockets.
Does this recipe need an egg?
No. Molasses and butter bind this particular formula.
Can I add more cocoa?
Not without adjusting the formula. Extra cocoa can make these cookies dry and crumbly.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Gingerbread Cookies Ideas collection.
