Soft, round gingerbread drop cookies made with molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, finished with a crackled sugar coating.
A scoop and a light sugar coating give these soft rounds their crackled surface. Keep the butter softly solid and leave generous room between portions. Stop at the stated visual cues, then let the middles set on the pan before lifting.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Per tray: 9–11 minutes · about 3 trays, 12 cookies per tray
Allow about 70 minutes: 20 minutes hands-on, 30 minutes for three trays and 20 minutes to cool the last tray. Cooling includes a 10-minute pan rest. No mandatory chilling; time to soften butter and optional extra chilling are additional.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Digital scale, 1 g increments (0.1 g for small spice weights)
- Large mixing bowl and electric mixer
- Medium cookie scoop, about 2 tablespoons; aim for 32 g per portion
- Two light-colored aluminum baking sheets, about 13 × 18 inches (33 × 46 cm)
- Parchment paper and a wide spatula
- Wire cooling rack and an oven thermometer
Ingredients
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Optional coating
Scaling adjusts US measures and gram weights. Keep cookie size, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged; more trays increase total time. Weigh beaten egg when making a half batch.
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat to 350°F (175°C) conventional, or 320°F (160°C) fan. Line pans with parchment. Butter should dent under light pressure without looking oily.
Cream
- Beat butter and the 1 cup sugar for 2–3 minutes until lighter and fluffy. Scrape the bowl. Mix in molasses, leavener, salt and spices; add eggs one at a time.
Finish the dough
- Mix in flour on low only until dry patches disappear. The dough is soft and scoopable. No routine chilling is needed; if greasy or too sticky to portion, chill 15–20 minutes. Do not add extra flour.
Scoop & coat
- Weigh portions to roughly 2 tablespoons (about 32 g). Roll in optional sugar and place at least 2½ inches (6 cm) apart. Expect about 12 per large pan; bake fewer if they touch.
Watch the edges
- Bake one tray on the center rack for 9–11 minutes; check at 9 minutes, especially with fan. Edges should be set, tops crackled and centers soft but no longer wet. Cool pans before refilling.
Set, then transfer
- Rest 10 minutes on the pan, then use a spatula to transfer to a rack. Allow another 10 minutes or until completely cool before storing. Repeat for remaining trays.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Baker’s science
Molasses supplies moisture and acidity; baking soda supports rise and browning. Use the stated soda dose, and mix only until flour disappears to keep the centers tender.
Temperature control
Warm butter and hot baking sheets encourage excess spread. If the first tray spreads too far, cool the next pan and chill the remaining dough 15–20 minutes instead of adding flour.
Flavor & texture
Enjoy once cool, or store airtight overnight for a more settled spice flavor. Keep soft cookies separate from crisp varieties so their textures stay distinct.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 5 days | Cool fully; seal in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Separate layers with parchment. |
| Refrigeration | Dough: up to 48 hours | Wrap dough tightly. Cold dough spreads less; let it become scoopable before portioning. Baked cookies keep better at room temperature. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 2 months at 0°F (−18°C) | Freeze uncoated portions on a tray, then bag airtight. Thaw covered in the refrigerator; roll in sugar before baking. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 2 months at 0°F (−18°C) | Freeze completely cooled cookies in an airtight container with parchment between layers. Thaw covered at room temperature. |
| Restoring | As needed | Warm an undecorated cookie for 5–8 seconds in the microwave and check. Warming helps temporarily; it cannot restore a dried-out batch completely. |
Notes
- Spice weights are approximate: grind and packing change density; use the spoon equivalents if your scale cannot resolve small quantities. Contains wheat, milk and eggs. Substitutions need their own tested formula.
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition per serving; brands and portion sizes vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my soft gingerbread cookies spread too much?
Butter that is too warm, a hot baking sheet or crowded portions can encourage spreading. Use softened butter that dents but is not oily, let pans cool before refilling, and leave at least 2½ inches between portions. If the dough feels greasy, chill it for 15–20 minutes before baking the next tray.
How do I keep the centers soft?
Start checking at 9 minutes. Take the cookies out when the edges are set and the centers are puffed and no longer wet; do not wait for the centers to become firm in the oven. Leave them on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack, then store airtight once fully cool.
Can I roll out this dough for gingerbread men?
This is a soft drop-cookie dough designed for scooping and spreading, rather than holding detailed cutter shapes. For gingerbread people or stars, use the Classic Gingerbread Cookies recipe with its chilled, rolled dough.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Gingerbread Cookies Ideas collection.
