Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

By Sohla El-Waylly

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (1)

Total Time
35 minutes, plus 2½ hours’ chilling
Rating
5(2,619)
Notes
Read community notes

This gingerbread is maxed out on spice, packed with two types of fiery ginger and lots of prickly black pepper. Cozy from all the warm spices as well as from molasses, they’re perfect for munching on while tree-trimming. The center of the cookie is fudgy and dense, while the outside edges stay crisp — like the best brownie, but in gingerbread form. That chewy-crispy texture is thanks to the confectioners’ sugar in the dough and a light coating of ginger-spiced sugar. Be sure to use true molasses and not blackstrap molasses; blackstrap molasses has less sugar, more salt and acidity, and can change the way the dough browns, spreads and interacts with the leavening.

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Ingredients

Yield:24 cookies

    For the Cookies

    • 14tablespoons/200 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces
    • 3tablespoons/50 grams finely grated fresh ginger
    • 1tablespoon ground ginger
    • 2teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    • 2cups/240 grams confectioners’ sugar
    • 3tablespoons/60 grams unsulphured molasses
    • 1tablespoon vanilla extract
    • teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
    • 1teaspoon baking soda
    • 1large egg, room temperature
    • 2cups/250 grams all-purpose flour

    For the Coating

    • ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar
    • 2teaspoons ground ginger

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)

160 calories; 7 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 91 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a medium saucepan over medium, melt butter until foamy, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking butter, stirring and scraping frequently with a stiff silicone spatula, until the sputtering has subsided and the butter solids look deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then whisk in the fresh ginger and ground spices. Scrape the butter and any brown bits at the bottom into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Set aside until cool, slightly solid, but still creamy, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.

  2. Step

    2

    Add confectioners’ sugar, molasses, vanilla, salt and baking soda to the cooled butter. Mix on low with the paddle attachment, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, until creamy and combined, about 1 minute.

  3. Step

    3

    Add the egg and mix on medium until pale and fluffy, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, about 2 minutes. Add flour and mix until evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before baking.

  4. Step

    4

    Prepare the sugar coating: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and ground ginger. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 375 degrees.

  5. Step

    5

    Using a #40 cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon portions (30 grams). Roll the portioned cookie dough into balls and coat in the ginger sugar. Arrange on the sheet tray at least 1 inch apart and bake until set and lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Tip

  • Cookies are best eaten the day they are baked. Cookie dough portions can be frozen, then coated in sugar and baked from frozen as needed. No need to thaw; bake frozen portions for 11 to 13 minutes.

Ratings

5

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2,619

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

David

Freeze the fresh ginger root and keep in freezer then microplane it when ready for use. Keeps the ginger juices intact; keeps longer than fresh ginger in the fridge. Microplane is easier and quicker than grater although your fingers can get pretty cold in the grating process.

AC

Diamond Crystal salt and Morton’s weigh differently even if you use the same volume. That’s why it’s helpful for recipes to identify what it was made with. One teaspoon of Morton kosher salt weighs 4.8 grams; one teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher weighs 2.8 grams. There’s a good Cooks a illustrated article on the difference.

Pam

MAKE THIS. I just finished my third cookie (don't judge me). With no substitutions, these are by far, the most delicious ginger cookie I've ever eaten. These have an amazing kick, and come out beautifully crackled. MAKE AHEAD: I made the brown butter the night before, and let it come to room temperature before the mixing. PAN BANGING: I banged the pans at the 5 min mark, and right after they can out. Stored in an airtight container to retain chewiness.

Sean

In the end, these came out great, and I will absolutely make them many more times. Crispy outside, chewy center, sweet and spicy. 10/10.However, like others have already said, be careful when adding the fresh ginger to the browned butter -- it will foam a ton (like, way more than when making caramel). Either brown the butter in a larger-than-you-think-you-need sauce pot or move the butter to the bowl of the stand mixer first and then add the spices. It'll save you a mess.

Butter Goddess

I cannot stop eating these cookies. I love the kick this cookie gets from the fresh ginger and all the spices. I don't always have it in me to grate that much fresh ginger, but the 50g was absolutely worth it. This is my new favorite winter cookie!

Canucklehead

At the risk of annoying purists, I used leftover preserved ginger instead of the fresh so I expect my cookie was a little sweeter than the recipe. I can't find Diamond Crystal salt where I live but the Canadian substitute seemed to work OK. Likewise, my choices of molasses included neither blackstrap nor true molasses. Using my "cooking molasses", I plunged ahead. Took a bit longer and spread more than as written (or perhaps exactly as cautioned) but absolutely delicious nonetheless.

James

These are outstanding and have a really nice bite. For serving, we spread vanilla ice cream (softened in the fridge) between two of them, then refroze them as ice cream sandwiches. Outstanding!

Jenna

Wow! These are fantastic. Chewy center and crispy, lacy edge. Cookies were the same whether I followed the directions to refrigerate for 2 hours or froze the dough 15-20 minutes, instead. I was worried this would affect the outcome, but it didn’t. I used Trader Joe’s frozen, grated ginger (Dorot), and the flavor was excellent. Have fun eating these: they are the perfect ginger cookie.

compass.kitchen (Ryan)

These cookies were really good. Very spicy from ginger and definitely chewy. Only downside is that they're a little greasy. Also make sure to leave your cookies way farther than 1 inch apart (that must be a type because these cookies spread a decent amount so my first batch became one giant mega-cookie). I think you can only fit 8 cookies to a baking sheet.

Silvia

These cookies are perfection for ginger lovers. I was lazy and only used two Tb of fresh ginger, also too lazy to grind a full tsp. of pepper, chilled in the freezer for 45 minutes, and still got some close to perfect cookies. Will definitely try the recipe as written.

New Baker

Be sure to use a large enough saucepan for the butter browning!!! Mine was too small and the whole thing foamed up over the top (and all over my stove) when I added the fresh ginger + spices. A rookie mistake for sure. Next time I'll go straight into the stand mixer bowl. Didn't start over (not enough ingredients) so I tried to make up for lost butter by weighing it out and re-browning the difference, accounting for 15% loss due to water evaporation. We'll see how they turn out....

korinswanson

Freeze the fresh ginger root and keep in freezer then microplane it when ready for use. Keeps the ginger juices intact

Sally

They specify because Diamond Crystal is coarser than Morton's (probably the main other readily available kosher salt), so if you use the same amount of Morton's salt as is called for in Diamond Crystal salt, it'll be a lot saltier.

Amemm

These spread a lot for me. Put far enough apart so they don’t run into each other.

Sue

That's a really bad idea here, because both the confectioner's sugar and the wheat-based flour are important to how the cookie spreads and to its final texture. You're best off looking to a shortbread that's built to work with almond or coconut flour and whose texture relies primarily on butter to hold the flour together, where you can replace the small quantity of sugar more or less safely.

Florentina

Finally, a ginger cookie ginger-y enough for me! Excellent textures: chewy inside with a solid texture around the perimeter.

kyrie

BUTTER WILL FOAM OVER like a chemistry experiment of a volcano when you add in spices. This recipe needs to be rewritten to instruct bakers to use a large saucepan, and to warn about this chemical effect.

fiddlebbb

These turned out pretty good but i think i prefer a less oily/buttery/gooey cookie in favor of more texture and caki-ness The flavor is pretty intense, which i loved. These would be great as one choice on a cookie platter rather than a whole batch

LP

I can't believe I am going to say this but....these cookies are too sweet! It's a strong sweet taste with a separate strong ginger taste, they exist side by side but not together. Not my fav ginger cookie recipe

corn

I’d recommend for a spicier cookie tripling the amount of cinnamon and adding some allspice but it’s an overall good cookie

Brecken

They were good, 50 grams of fresh ginger is A LOT of ginger. I got three large knobs (a little less than .2 lbs) and after peeling it, it ended up not being enough. I ended up substituted the rest of the weight with some frozen ginger. My cookies didn't end up getting that beautiful crackle like in the photo which was disappointing. If I made them again, I would leave out the black pepper. These were too spicy for my Chinese in-laws during Christmas lol.

Allison

Eat these when they’re about 10 minutes out of the oven. They’re brownie-chewy in the middle and slightly crispy on the outside. You can tasted the brown butter best then. Om nom.

Cursed Baker

Outstanding recipe. Refrigerate for as long as you can stand (or your fridge real estate can bear).I disagree with the recipe that these are best on the day they are baked--if they're allowed to rest, the spice picks up a bit and the ginger flavor comes through more clearly.

SD

Is treacle an appropriate substitute for molasses for this recipe?

nancy l

Fabulous!I did make slightly smaller (20g) cookies and place farther apart on cookie sheet. Grated 40 g of ginger until I ran out. Had to eat them hot off the cookie sheet cuz they smelled so good.

Allison

These are overwhelmingly gingery, in the best way. Definitely the punchiest gingerbread cookie I ever tried. Mine came out quite cakey but with a delicate crisp from the gingered sugar coating. I used jarred grated ginger from my local Korean alphabet mart, which has a touch of salt in it. I’d already frozen it in ice cube trays and stored it in cubes in my freezer, so the grated ginger part was a snap. (Pause for tsk-ing from the purists.) Try cream cheese (or CC icing) with them.

Patricia

Made as per recipe, delicious. Substituted honey for molasses, texture worked out beautifully.

D

Super easily adapted to gluten free. Swapped flour for Pamela’s 1:1 with 1/4tsp xanthan gum and they came out PERFECT. Also threw in some chopped non-crystallized candied ginger chopped up super fine, which was killer.

Lacy

These are the best cookies I’ve ever been involved in making. Yum.

Natalie

These are delicious; whole family loves them. Adult son said these are the best ginger cookies he has ever had; he did not expect them to be so good.

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Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes cookie soft and chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? ›

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

What are the three types of gingerbread? ›

The three distinct types of gingerbread are brown gingerbread, wafer-based gingerbread and honey gingerbread.
  • BROWN GINGERBREAD.
  • WAFER GINGERBREAD.
  • HONEY GINGERBREAD.

What kind of molasses is best for gingerbread? ›

Medium Or Dark Molasses

“It adds enough bold flavor and sweet notes with a hint of bitterness to any recipe, which is exactly what you want for making gingerbread cookies.”

What makes a cookie extra chewy? ›

Chewy cookies

Sugar dissolved in baking forms a syrup as the dough heats up. Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

What are 3 factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Why are gingerbread cookies so hard? ›

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

How do you keep gingerbread cookies from getting hard? ›

To make soft and chewy gingerbread cookies, follow these tips:
  1. Use molasses: Molasses is a key ingredient in gingerbread cookies, and it's what gives them their soft and chewy texture. ...
  2. Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing the dough will develop the gluten in the flour, which will make your cookies tough.
Jan 6, 2023

Why are my gingerbread cookies crunchy? ›

Keep in mind that the longer the cookies bake, the harder and crunchier they'll be. For soft gingerbread cookies, follow my suggested bake times. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.

What is the difference between gingerbread and ginger cookies? ›

Gingersnaps vs. Gingerbread. The main differences between gingerbread and gingersnaps are that ginger snaps bake for a longer period of time to get their crispiness–and gingerbread cookies are a little chewier (and almost always rolled out into different shapes like gingerbread men and other holiday figures).

What's the difference between ginger and gingerbread? ›

Yes, of course gingerbread in all its forms from cookies to cake smells different from ginger. Ginger is only one of the spices traditionally used in gingerbread. Yes, cinnamon plays a role in that distinct aroma. As do the addition of nutmeg or allspice and cloves, all very distinct by themselves.

What country invented gingerbread? ›

Food historians trace the origins of gingerbread back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it for ceremonial purposes. The ancient Greeks followed suit with the first known recipe for gingerbread around 2400 B.C.

Is molasses or golden syrup better for gingerbread? ›

Molasses – Essential for that deep, rich, caramel-like gingerbread flavour! It also helps hold the dough's shape. Golden syrup makes a great sub, or treacle. Honey will also work, but the cookies will spread out a touch more and not have the same deep flavour (but still very, very good!).

Is dark or light molasses better for gingerbread cookies? ›

Light molasses is the sweetest and mildest out of the bunch because it is made from the first boiling cycle,” she said. “I like to use this type of molasses because it adds moisture to cookies, resulting in a soft and chewy texture.”

Is light or dark molasses better for gingerbread? ›

Light, unsulfured molasses is the best unless the recipe specifically calls for one of the other two. I do this every year at Xmas great great grandma Gertrude made gingerbread every holiday. That heart warming flavor that hooked everybody, but when we copied her recipe it just didn't have that Xmas flavor we desired.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

What ingredient makes a cookie soft? ›

Eggs, particularly egg yolks. Eggs work to make your cookies soft in two ways: They add a ton of moisture, and the proteins add structure that prevents spreading. Cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Low in protein and high in moisture, cake flour is used to leaven all sorts of baked goods.

How do you make cookies soft and chewy vs hard and crisp? ›

chewy vs crispy is a combination of 2 things… ratio of fats to flour, and baking times/temps.. for more chewy cake like cookies, you want something with a high fat, content cooked at a lower longer temperature… for a more crispy or dryer cooking you want a lower fat batter cooked at a high temperature.

What causes a cookie to be to soft? ›

Here are some common reasons: Underbaking: Cookies might not have been baked long enough. Ensure you follow the recommended baking time in the recipe and adjust based on your oven's characteristics. Too much moisture: Excess moisture, either from ingredients like eggs or butter, can result in soft cookies.

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