The holiday season is here, and for me, that means baking lots of warm gingerbread cookies! There’s nothing quite like the cozy spice of ginger to make your home smell wonderfully festive.
I’ve put together a list of my favorite gingerbread cookie recipes for you. Whether you like classic flavors or something a little different, you’ll find a special cookie here to make and share.
Jump to Recipe:
- 1. German Gingerbread Cookies
- 2. Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- 3. Gingerbread Snowball Cookies
- 4. Glazed Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
German Gingerbread Cookies for the Holidays
These traditional German gingerbread cookies are soft and chewy. They have a rich spice flavor that is perfect for winter baking.
Key Ingredients & Tips for German Gingerbread
- Molasses Magic: Molasses gives these cookies their deep, classic gingerbread taste and helps keep them wonderfully soft.
- Resting Dough: Letting the dough chill for a few hours in the fridge makes it easier to roll and helps the spice flavors blend together beautifully.
What You Need for German Gingerbread
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
⏱️ Time: 1 hour 15 min🍽️ Yields: 3 dozen cookies
How to Make German Gingerbread
Step 1: Combine Ingredients
In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. In another bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg until the mixture is light and creamy. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
Step 2: Chill and Cut
Wrap the dough tightly and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or even overnight. Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out your shapes.
Step 3: Bake and Cool
Place the gingerbread cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just set. Do not overbake. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
📝 Final Note
Store these gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them soft for up to a week. They are wonderful with a cup of tea!
Festive Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
These gingerbread crinkle cookies are soft inside with a crispy sugar coating. They have a lovely crackled look that is so pretty and fun to make.
Key Ingredients & Tips for Crinkle Cookies
- Powdered Sugar Coat: Rolling the dough generously in powdered sugar before baking creates the classic crinkle effect. Do not skip this important step!
- Chill the Dough: A chilled dough is much easier to roll into neat balls and helps keep the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
What You Need for Gingerbread Crinkles
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
⏱️ Time: 50 min🍽️ Yields: 2.5 dozen cookies
How to Make Crinkle Cookies
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses, mixing well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and baking soda. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Roll and Coat
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the granulated sugar in one shallow bowl and the powdered sugar in another. Roll small portions of the chilled dough into 1-inch balls. First, roll each ball in granulated sugar, then immediately roll it generously in powdered sugar to fully coat it.
Step 3: Bake and Cool
Place the coated dough balls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly soft and crinkled. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
📝 Final Note
For the best crinkles, make sure the powdered sugar coating is thick before you put them in the oven. Store in an airtight container for freshness.
Simple Gingerbread Snowball Cookies
Gingerbread snowball cookies are buttery and melt in your mouth. They are coated in powdered sugar, making them look like cute little snowballs, perfect for winter.
Key Ingredients & Tips for Snowball Cookies
- Nutty Addition: Adding finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the dough gives these cookies a wonderful texture and a little extra taste.
- Double Sugar Coat: Roll them in powdered sugar while they are still warm from the oven, then again once they have fully cooled. This creates a lovely, thick snowy finish.
What You Need for Gingerbread Snowballs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
⏱️ Time: 1 hour🍽️ Yields: 3 dozen cookies
How to Make Snowball Cookies
Step 1: Make the Dough
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour, ground ginger, and cinnamon, mixing until a soft dough forms. If you’re using nuts, fold them in now.
Step 2: Shape and Bake
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Roll the dough into small, 1-inch balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. The cookies will still be soft.
Step 3: Coat with Sugar
While the cookies are still warm (but cool enough to handle), roll them in powdered sugar. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. Once fully cooled, roll them again in powdered sugar for an extra thick, snowy coating.
📝 Final Note
These cookies taste even better the next day as the flavors settle. Store them in an airtight container.
Glazed Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies for a Treat
These glazed chocolate gingerbread cookies are a delightful mix of rich dark chocolate and warm ginger spice. The sweet glaze adds a nice finishing touch to these wonderful treats.
Key Ingredients & Tips for Chocolate Gingerbread
- Quality Cocoa: Use a good quality dark cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the ginger spices.
- Cool Completely: Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before you apply the glaze. This helps the glaze set properly and look smooth.
What You Need for Glazed Chocolate Gingerbread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dark if possible)
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- For the Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tbsp milk, ½ tsp vanilla extract
⏱️ Time: 1 hour 10 min🍽️ Yields: 2.5 dozen cookies
How to Make Chocolate Gingerbread
Step 1: Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a firm dough forms.
Step 2: Roll, Cut, and Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place the cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just firm.
Step 3: Cool and Glaze
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they cool, prepare the glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Once the cookies are fully cool, dip or drizzle the glaze over them. Let the glaze set before storing.
📝 Final Note
Store glazed cookies in a single layer on parchment paper until the glaze is completely set. Then you can stack them in an airtight container.
