These soft gingerbread cookies are one of my favorite non-chocolate cookies ever! They are just…perfect. They are the perfect texture (slightly crunchy on the outside, but totally gooey and tender on the inside). They are the perfect flavor (rich and warm, with a little bit of added kick thanks to black pepper). They even look perfect. Like perfect little pillows of sugary deliciousness.
Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft?
This comes down to gingerbread semantics. In some people’s minds, the word gingerbread means soft and chewy—you know, like bread. But in my opinion, gingerbread is all-encompassing of the flavor, but most frequently refers to the crispy cookies (like gingerbread men or gingerbread houses). If someone says, “here, have a gingerbread cookie” the first thing that pops in my head is a crunchy gingerbread man—which I’ll pass on.
But these tender, soft, chewy gingerbread cookies? These, I’m all over.
What makes these soft gingerbread cookies so great?
I think what makes these cookies so spectacular is that they are spectacularly simple. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing cookies with sprinkles and candy and add-ins galore, but all these cookies need as far as accoutrements is a quick roll in granulated sugar before baking to give them a sparkly shine that looks a little bit like a frosty snowfall. That’s it. The dough does all the talking.
In case you were wondering, my tasting group was very pleased with these cookies. So much so, it put an end to the gingerbread definition debate. It was decided that whatever the previous definition of gingerbread was, it should be erased from the books and replaced with a description of these cookies, because this is what gingerbread should be.
Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
The smell of fresh gingerbread baking is unmatched. Make a batch of these soft gingerbread cookies with your family this holiday.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the molasses, egg, and vanilla and mix until well-combined.
- Add in the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper, and salt, and mix until just combined. Add in the flour and mix until well-combined, scraping the sides as needed.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. Then roll the dough into 1-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in granulated sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 2-inches apart.
- Bake in preheated oven for 7-8 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to crack and crinkle, and the edges barely start to brown. Do not overbake or they won't be chewy!
- Let cookies cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 2 cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 168Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 267mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
