Description
Discover my soft gingerbread cookies recipe, a chewy, spiced delight. Learn my kitchen secrets for perfect holiday baking and easy storage tips.
Ingredients
Scale
- Dry Essentials:
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- Spice Symphony:
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Wet Wonders:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (160g) dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (120ml) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finishing Touches:
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Cream the Butter & Sugar:: First things first, grab your softened butter and dark brown sugar. Beat them together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until they’re light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. I swear, this step is crucial for that soft texture. I usually get distracted here and over-beat, or sometimes under-beat, but aim for pale and airy. You’ll see the color lighten and it just feels so satisfyingly smooth.
- Add Wet Ingredients:: Now, crack in that egg and pour in the molasses and vanilla extract. Beat until everything is well combined. Don’t worry if it looks a little separated at first; just keep mixing until it comes together in a glossy, dark mixture. This is where the magic of our soft gingerbread cookies really starts to form, that rich, sweet aroma begins to fill the kitchen!
- Whisk Dry Ingredients:: In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Make sure there are no lumps of spice! I always give it a good five stirs to make sure everything is evenly distributed. This ensures every bite of your soft gingerbread cookies has that balanced spice punch.
- Combine Wet & Dry:: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix! As soon as you see no more streaks of flour, stop. Overmixing can make your soft gingerbread cookies tough, and we’re going for tender and chewy here, remember? It’s a delicate balance, honestly.
- Chill the Dough:: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This step is a game-changer for handling the dough and preventing spread. I’ve skipped this once, thinking “it’ll be fine,” and ended up with flat, sad cookies. Don’t be me! Chilling makes rolling out those perfect soft gingerbread cookies so much easier.
- Roll & Bake:: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll small balls of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and then roll them in granulated sugar. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will look slightly soft in the center when you pull them out, but they’ll firm up as they cool. That’s the secret to truly soft gingerbread cookies!