Thick gingerbread cut-outs with a tender bite, deep molasses flavor and a generous ginger-cinnamon blend.
A generous dough rest firms these thick cut-outs before shaping. Keep their thickness consistent and remove them when the edges have set while the middles remain yielding. The final texture is judged after the cookies have cooled, not while they are hot.
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Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Per tray: 9–10 minutes · About 3 trays; bake one tray at a time
Allow 265 minutes: 35 minutes hands-on, 180 minutes chilling, about 30 minutes for three trays and 20 minutes cooling the last tray. Cooling includes the 5-minute pan rest. Butter warm-up, extra chilling and optional decorating add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Digital kitchen scale and US measuring cups/spoons
- Large mixing bowl and electric mixer
- Rolling pin with 1/4-inch guides and 4-inch cookie cutters
- Two 13 × 18-inch light-colored baking sheets and parchment paper
- Wide spatula and wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Scaling adjusts ingredient weights and US equivalents. Keep cookie size, thickness, oven temperature and time per tray unchanged; extra trays increase total time. For half a batch, beat the egg and weigh half.
Instructions
Cream the butter
- Beat butter for 1 minute. Add brown sugar and molasses and beat until evenly combined. Beat in egg and vanilla, scraping the bowl. Whisk flour, soda, salt and spices separately; mix into the wet ingredients on low just until combined.
Wrap two discs
- Divide into two flattened discs, wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 3 hours. The dough must feel firm and cool before rolling.
Keep the thickness
- Heat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional, or about 320°F (160°C) fan. Line pans. Lightly flour the work surface and roll one disc 1/4 inch thick. Cut about 4-inch shapes, place 1 inch apart and keep the other disc chilled. Gently gather and reroll scraps.
Keep the middle tender
- Bake one tray on the center rack for 9–10 minutes. Edges should be set and the surface dry, while the center remains slightly soft. Smaller cutters finish sooner; check fan ovens early. Chill softened cut-outs before baking and use cool pans.
Lift carefully
- Leave cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack for about 15 minutes, until cool. Optional prepared cookie icing goes on only after cooling; follow its packaging instructions.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Thickness matters
A consistent 1/4-inch thickness protects the soft middle. Thin tips on stars bake faster, so group similarly sized shapes on a tray.
Chill without extra flour
The three-hour chill firms butter and hydrates flour. If cut-outs bend during transfer, cool the sheet for 10–15 minutes; this adds time.
Decorate lightly
Simple icing outlines suit the strong spice flavor. Let icing dry before packing; undecorated cookies freeze with the best appearance.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 5 days | Cool completely and seal airtight in a cool, dry place. Keep soft cookies separate from crisp cookies. Let any icing dry before layering. |
| Refrigeration | Raw dough: up to 48 hours | Wrap tightly. Let dough soften just enough to roll. Plain baked cookies do not need refrigeration; follow storage instructions for any added icing. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 2 months at 0°F (−18°C) | Freeze wrapped flat dough discs airtight. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then follow the shaping and baking instructions. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 2 months at 0°F (−18°C) | Freeze fully cooled, preferably undecorated cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment. Thaw covered at room temperature. |
| Restoring | Just before serving | For a softer bite, microwave one plain cookie for 5 seconds and check; serve promptly. Do not heat decorated cookies. This will not reverse severe drying or overbaking. |
Notes
- Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap. Flour cup weights vary; spoon and level without packing, or use the stated grams. Spice weights are approximate; spoon measures are more practical for small amounts. Contains wheat, milk and egg. Optional icing and coating are additional.
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition per serving; brands and portion sizes vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are these different from Chewy Gingerbread Cookies?
These use a firmer dough designed for rolling and cutting. Chewy Gingerbread Cookies are softer scooped rounds that spread in the oven.
Can I shorten the three-hour chill?
Keep the full chill for this formula. Warm dough is sticky and loses definition; prepare the discs a day ahead if convenient.
Why are my cut-outs tough?
Excess bench flour, repeated rerolling and overbaking are common causes. Roll to 1/4 inch, gather scraps gently and stop baking when edges are set.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Gingerbread Cookies Ideas collection.
