Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
These ginger cookies are soft, chewy, and simple to make. They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays and gifting!
You may also love my gingerbread cookies and molasses cookies.
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If you’re a fan of spiced cookies full of seasonal flavor, these are for you! These ginger cookies come together in one mixing bowl, have plenty of ginger and warm spices, and stay soft and chewy for days.
This is one of my favorite cookie recipes to make every year around Christmas. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Ingredients and What They Do
Unsalted butter: Gives the cookies their soft texture and adds richness. It also helps the dough cream properly with the sugar so the cookies bake up tender.
Brown sugar: Adds moisture, sweetness, and that classic chewy texture. It also gives the cookies deeper flavor than using granulated sugar alone.
Large egg: Binds the dough and helps the cookies hold their shape.
Molasses: Creates the signature ginger cookie taste, adds color, and keeps the cookies moist.
Vanilla: Adds a warm background flavor that balances the spices.
All-purpose flour: Provides structure so the cookies hold together but still stay soft.
Baking soda: This is your leavening agent that gives the cookies lift and keeps them soft and chewy instead of cakey.
Cornstarch: Keeps the cookies super soft, and keeps them from becoming dry or crumbly.
Spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves): Give the cookies their warm flavor that you’d see in many baked goods during November and December.
Salt: Enhances all the flavors and keeps the sweetness balanced.
Granulated sugar (for rolling): Adds sparkle and a little bit of crunch on the outside. You can also use a coarse sugar like turbinado sugar for a different taste and texture.
How to Make Ginger Cookies
Start by creaming the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until it looks light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, molasses, and vanilla until everything is well combined.
Add the flour, ginger, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to the bowl. Mix until the cookie dough comes together and no dry streaks remain. Expect the dough to be stickier than something like chocolate chip cookie dough.
Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place them on a small baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Cover, and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes so the dough firms up.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place the chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Use a glass or ramekin to gently press down the dough.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the tops look set. Let the cookies rest on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for the Best Cookies
- Make sure to chill the dough. It gives the flour time to hydrate and helps the butter firm up so the cookies don’t spread.
- If you like a lot of seasonal spices in your cookies, add a little more ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Try adding finely chopped crystallized ginger to the dough for more texture and extra ginger flavor.
- If the cookies look puffy out of the oven, gently tap the pan on the counter. They’ll settle in a beautiful rippled, crackly look.
- I like to use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough then gently roll in the granulated sugar to coat.
Storage
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Ginger cookies also freeze well. Freeze the baked cookies on a baking sheet until firm. Move them to freezer bags or containers with a piece of waxed paper in between each cookie and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature.
How to Freeze Unbaked Ginger Cookie Dough
Scoop the cookie dough into balls and roll them in sugar. Place the dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once they’re solid, move them to a freezer bag or airtight container. Keep them frozen for up to two months.
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as usual. Add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time since they’re going in frozen.
More Holiday Recipes
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What You’ll Need
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, for rolling
How to Make It
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.¾ cup unsalted butter1 cup light brown sugar
- Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla, and mix well.1 large egg¼ cup unsulfured molasses1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Then add the flour, ginger, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves and salt and mix until no dry streaks remain.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon cornstarch1 teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon ground cloves¼ teaspoon salt
- Scoop into 2-tablespoon sized balls, then roll in granulated sugar. Place on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap. It’s ok if they're close together because you’re not baking them on this cookie sheet. Cover, and chill for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.¼ cup granulated sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place the dough balls 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use the bottom of a drinking glass or ramekin to gently press down on the dough.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes until the tops look set. Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Suggested Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Meet Kim
Hi, I’m Kim Vargo! I love making scratch-made desserts and classic dinners that bring back a little nostalgia. Whether it’s a stovetop meal or a simple pasta bake, I’m all about good food made without the extra fuss.
