Ginger cookies are the taste of the holiday season: warm spices, deep molasses flavor, and a sweet, tender bite. These cookies are soft in the middle with slightly crisp edges, so they work well for decorating, gifting, or eating with a mug of hot cocoa.
The dough comes together with a simple method and ingredients you may already have. You mix it, shape it by hand into small balls, roll them in sugar, and bake. This recipe makes 24 cookies, and it’s a favorite among Allrecipes readers, who come back to it year after year.
Recipe Card
- Prep time: not specified
- Cook time: 8 to 10 minutes
- Total time: not specified
- Servings: 24 cookies
- Storage: Up to 5 days in an airtight container
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (for rolling)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon water
What Each Ingredient Does
Sugar. About a cup goes into the dough. The extra two tablespoons are for rolling the dough balls.
Flour. All-purpose flour gives the cookies structure and a tender texture.
Spices. Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves flavor the dough.
Baking soda. It helps the dough rise.
Salt. A small amount brings out the other flavors.
Butter. It gives you soft cookies with slightly crisp edges.
Egg. It adds moisture and holds the dough together.
Molasses. It brings a warm, cozy, sweet flavor.
How to Make Ginger Cookies
Part 1: Prep
- Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Set up the rolling sugar. Put 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl and set it aside.
Part 2: Make the Dough
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together into a medium bowl. Sifting helps blend the spices evenly.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg. Then stir in the molasses and water.
- Combine. Gradually stir the flour and spice mixture into the molasses mixture. Keep going until everything is well combined.
Part 3: Shape the Cookies
- Roll the dough. With floured hands, shape the dough into 24 balls, about the size of a walnut. Flouring your hands keeps the dough from sticking.
- Coat in sugar. Roll each ball in the sugar you set aside.
- Arrange and flatten. Place the balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each one slightly with the bottom of a glass.
Part 4: Bake and Cool
- Bake. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops crack and the centers are soft. Switch the racks halfway through baking so both pans bake evenly.
- Cool on the pan. Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
- Finish cooling. Move the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Tips and Variations
Use floured hands. The dough is sticky, and a little flour on your hands makes shaping easier.
Look for cracked tops. That’s the sign the cookies are ready. The centers should still be soft.
Switch the racks. Swapping the pans halfway through the bake helps with even baking.
Skip the pressing for a rustic look. One reader left the dough balls unflattened and got a more homemade, rustic-looking cookie.
Try orange juice. Another reader swapped the water for orange juice and loved the result.
Ice them. One reader topped the cookies with peppermint icing, which made them even better.
Keep them soft. If you worry about the cookies drying out, add a slice of bread to the storage container. It acts as a moisture buffer.
You might like: Gluten-Free Almond Cookies
Storing and Freezing
Storing. Let the cookies cool completely. Keep them in a shallow, airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing baked cookies. Arrange the cooled cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for 3 hours, or overnight. Move the frozen cookies to a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container, and wrap in at least one layer of foil for extra protection. They’ll keep for up to 2 months.
Freezing the dough. Roll the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and freeze for about 3 hours, or overnight. Then transfer the frozen balls to a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container, wrapped in at least one layer of foil. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight, roll the balls in sugar, and bake as directed.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies go well with a mug of hot cocoa. They’re also a good fit for decorating and gifting. Serve them plain, or finish them with an icing such as peppermint, as one reader did.
Final Thoughts
Soft ginger cookies are a holiday classic for good reason. They’re sweet, warmly spiced, and simple to make, and the recipe stores and freezes well, so you can bake ahead. Make a batch for your next gathering, and see which of the reader tips you want to try.