Easy Soft Ginger Cookies
An easy and delicious Soft Ginger Cookies recipe, perfect for the holidays or any time you want a perfectly soft spiced cookie. They are flavored with ginger and cinnamon, and molasses gives the cookies a complex flavor plus a soft and chewy texture.
If there’s anything that gets me in a Christmas mood, it’s the scent of ginger and cinnamon. No matter what time of year, if I make these easy ginger cookies, it feels like the holidays.
These are soft ginger cookies, the best kind if you ask me. So many gingerbread cookie recipes are brittle and hard – not with these. They are soft, a little chewy, and with the perfect amount of spices.
What I love best about these cookies is the flavor. They’re sweet, but the molasses adds a slight bitterness that balances out the sweetness. It also makes lightly chewy ginger cookies. They really are the best Christmas cookie recipe.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (11% + protein)
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Ground ginger
- Cinnamon
- Softened butter
- Granulated sugar (white sugar)
- Brown sugar
- Room temperature large egg
- Molasses (not blackstrap molasses)
What is the difference between Molasses and Blackstrap Molasses?
Molasses has a redder tone to it and is sweeter but acidic, whereas Blackstrap is dark, salty and quite bitter. Although Blackstrap is healthier for you.
Baking Instructions
Whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside.
Cream the butter for one to two minutes in a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Beat in both types of sugar, egg, and molasses. Mix well until combined.
Add the flour mixture in two batches, beating well between each addition. Once the dough comes together cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line the cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Roll the dough into small balls (approximately 1-inch balls) and then roll them in granulated sugar or cane sugar, so they are evenly coated. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake the ginger cookies for 10 to 15 minutes. Leave them on the baking sheet for five minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
How to keep cookies from spreading
Be sure to use a higher protein flour with at least 11.5- 12% protein count. And don’t forget to chill the dough for at least 1 hour before baking the cookies. These tips will help produce the perfect Ginger Cookies.
Storage Tips
Once the cookies are thoroughly cooled, store them in an airtight container. They will keep for two to three days at room temperature.
You can also freeze them. Once cooled, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep well for up to a month or two. You can thaw them at room temperature, and they will taste amazing.
Every cookie platter needs some ginger molasses cookies – everyone will love them. Enjoy!
More Cookie Recipes
- Christmas Rum Cookies
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies (Gingerbread Men)
- Italian Spritz Cookies
- Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
Easy Soft Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (11% + protein)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup butter (softened)
- ½ cup granulated or very fine/caster sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ¼ cup molasses (not black strap)
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the mixing bowl cream the butter for 1-2 minutes, beat in the sugars, add the egg and beat, add the molasses and beat to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients half at a time beating on low (or mix with a spatula or wooden spoon) to combine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line 1-2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into small balls (1-1 ½ inch / 2½-3½ cm size). Roll in granulated sugar or cane sugar, place on prepared cookie sheets 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets then move to a wire rack until completely cooled. Enjoy!
To help with firmness of the cookie it will help to chill the unbaked cookies for approximately 20 minutes while the oven is pre-heating.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from December 13, 2021.
I love your recipes.
I would like to make these for our Church Marketplace but the time is very busy with many other things just before.
Can I make batches and freeze the ‘ready to bake’ rolled cookie balls, without the final sugaring and then temper, roll in the final sugaring and then bake as described?
Hi Anne, yes you can freeze the dough, it will keep for up to two months in freezer. Thanks so much, glad you enjoy the recipes. Take care!
My cookies turned out flat. Although I followed the instruction (with 12% flour protein and chilling the dough for 1.5 hours), they were somewhat tasty with too much molasses taste and not enough spiced ginger. What did I do wrong? They definitely don’t look like your cookies.
Hi Francine, you may need to add a bit more flour, try chilling the cookies while the oven is pre-heating for about 20 minutes. Hope that helps. Let me know. Take care!
These cookies are amazing! My hubby has a dairy allergy so I substituted margarine and it didn’t affect the taste, but the cookies really spread. My dough was not that firm either. Any suggestions? Perhaps adding more flour?
Hi Shawna, thanks so much, try using a flour with a higher protein count, at least 11% and refrigerate the dough before baking while the oven is pre-heating for about 20 minutes. This should help. Also if you find the dough very soft and sticky then add a bit more flour. Hope this helps. Take care.
This was the perfect blend of ingredients in your recipe I’ve tried other recipes but this is the one that will be written.in my recipe book.for a keepsake.. Delizioso
Hi T. Phillips, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. Take care!
These turned out really really good.
I was out of brown sugar so I just used another cup of white sugar and added two tablespoons of maple syrup. Didn’t roll them in sugar because that seemed like too much sugar.
Turned out great!
Hi Meg, thanks so much, great idea with the maple syrup. Take care.
I am about to try your delicious sounding recipe but I only have blackstrap molasses. Would you recommend I increase the sugar, and if so, by how much? Thank you so very much.
Hi Jennie, apparently the way you can substitute with black strap is if you use 2 tablespoons of blackstrap and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup, blackstrap is very bitter and a strong flavour that it will probably overpower the recipe if you do a straight 1 for 1. This link might help. Let me know. https://food52.com/blog/24815-best-molasses-substitutes
Love this recipe. I found at my friends house I have to cook at 325 for 10 minutes and at my house I have to cook them at 350 for 12 minutes. Can I double the recipe?
Thanks for the great recipe my peeps love them as do I!
Hi Jackie, thanks so much glad everyone liked them. Yes ovens are so different, and yes they can be doubled. Take care and have a wonderful weekend!
Hello what can I use instead of molasses? and can I use fresh ginger? please thank you
Hi Joyce, I would substitute the granulated sugar with dark brown sugar and you will probably have to add a 1-3 teaspoons of water to bring the dough together. Let me know how it goes. Take care.
Can you roll the balls and freeze them. If so how do I cook them from frozen?
Hi Jackie, yes you can roll them into balls and freeze them, freeze them first on a baking sheet until firm then place in a freezer bag or container. Remove from the bag place on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated oven. By the time the oven pre-heat they will probably be almost thawed. If they are still frozen they will take a couple of minutes longer to bake. Hope that helps. Take care.
Made the other day…..they are so awesome! Such a great cookie with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Making more for the freezer.
Hi Judo, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. One of my favourite cookies. Take care!
Want to make these cookies today, but re bake time, 10-15 min is quite a spread. I realize all ovens are different, but is there a test for doneness? Thanks much!
Hi Linda, check at around 10 minutes if the edges are firm then the cookies are done. If they are still soft continue to bake. Hope that helps.