Gingerbread Cookies that Don’t Spread in the Oven
Making gingerbread cookies this holiday? This is the recipe for you! These cookies have a wonderfully traditional molasses and spice flavor, a tender texture that’s not too hard, and the dough is a dream to work with. No spreading in the oven! Keep your cute shapes and neat edges.
*This post originally published on November 28, 2015. I thought it was due for an update, so I’ve tweaked the recipe slightly. Now I love the taste even more! I’ve also added some tips for success, and an easy video tutorial in the recipe card. I hope you love these gingerbread cookies just as much as my family and I do!*
It’s about time I’m posting this recipe! I’ve got THE best vanilla and chocolate cutout cookie recipes on this site, but an equally good gingerbread cookie recipe has been glaringly absent for far too long.
Honestly, I hadn’t found one that I really loved. Sure, I put this up last year, but that was more about the decoration than the cookie recipe itself. The cookie recipe itself? It’s not bad. But I like this one much better!
GINGERBREAD COOKIE RECIPE
I based these gingerbread cookies off of this recipe, which I also mentioned above. The dough is so easy to work with- not the least bit crumbly or messy. You don’t have to sprinkle your work surface with flour, which also cuts down on mess, but more importantly, it keeps the cookies tender. And best of all? They hold their shape like a boss.
Look at that! It’s exactly the same coming out of the oven as it was going in. There’s nothing more disappointing than spending all kinds of time and taking all sorts of care to roll out cookie dough, cut out all the prettiest shapes, and bake them, just to have them spread out in the oven and completely lose their shape. I made gingerbread boys and girls here, but I have some other cookie cutters that have sharper angles and more intricate shapes. This recipe bakes up with just as sharp and neat of an edge as you could ever want.
TIPS FOR BAKING GINGERBREAD COOKIES
- Leave Out the Leavening: Now, you may notice that these gingerbread cookies contain no leavening of any kind. If you think about the purpose of baking powder in a recipe, it’s to help things puff up and spread out (hello!?), and be light and fluffy. Light and fluffy is great in a muffin or a pancake, but we are talking cookies, here, people. They are meant to have a little bite to them. Perhaps they are a little bit heavier, but in this instance, you kinda want that. Odds are, you are either shipping your cookies or delivering them by car, and if they are too light and delicate, they’re more likely to break. So, this is going to give you a more durable cookie, and I promise you, they are still every bit as delicious.
- The Magic Ingredient: Cornstarch. Cornstarch in cookies is pure witchcraft. It makes the dough SUCH a pleasure to work with! It is NOT sticky at all, nor is it crumbly. It just stays right where you want it. And those edges! SO clean and perfect! It’s like magic!
- Make Parchment Your Bestie: Definitely try rolling your dough between two layers of parchment paper. It is absolutely no-muss no-fuss! Between the silky, UNcrumbly texture of this dough, and the parchment thing, you barely even need to wipe your countertops after making these cookies! **No bench flour!** (Which, by the way, can also make a tougher, less tender cookie.) I also line my baking sheets with it, and besides keeping things from sticking, it keeps the pans cleaner too! Bake the cookies on parchment, then lay them on the same sheets to dry after decorating, so each sheet gets double duty. Here are the baking sheets I use, and here is where I order my parchment.
- Crank Up the Oven Temperature: Finally, you may notice that I recommend baking the cookies at a higher temperature, for a shorter time. This allows the cookie to “set up” more quickly, and hold it’s shape during baking.
WHAT DO THESE GINGERBREAD COOKIES TASTE LIKE?
The flavor of these gingerbread cookies is really warm and deep. The brown sugar and molasses are noticeable, but not overpowering. And they’re loaded with traditional holiday spice. Cinnamon, clove, and of course ginger! But the texture is really what I love most. I’ve bitten into some gingerbread cookies that are so hard you could break a tooth. These aren’t like that. They aren’t exactly soft (if you want soft, try these soft ginger cookies), but they’re not hard either. There’s a little bit of crunch but it’s really tender, almost like shortbread.
No more gingerbread puddles! Try this easy gingerbread cookie recipe- you’ll love the deep molasses flavor, warm holiday spice, and tender texture. They’re perfect for decorating, and taste even better when topped with royal icing. I think you’ll love them, and I hope they become a yearly tradition!
Frequently asked questions:
-
Can this dough be made ahead?
You can make this dough ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for a day or so, but if you do, you may want to add less flour because the dough will become drier as it sits. If you find your dough has become too dry and crumbly to work with, it can be moistened back up with a few drops of heavy cream.
-
How long will these cookies last?
The shelf life on these cookies is about the same as any other homemade cookie recipe. If you keep them tightly wrapped so they don’t dry out or become stale, they should last for at least a week or two at room temperature.
-
Can the cookies be frozen?
Again, wrap the cookies tightly so they don’t become dry. They should last in the freezer for several months. I would recommend freezing them un-iced, as the freeze/thaw process could cause your icing colors to run.
This post contains affiliate sales links.
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened slightly but still cool
- 1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar, (tightly packed)
- 2/3 cup (168.5 ml) molasses
- 2 eggs,, large
- 1/3 cup (42.67 g) cornstarch
- 2 1/2 teaspoons (2.5 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon ) kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) ground cloves
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, (you may need as much as 5 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, and cream together until smooth.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, add the molasses, and mix until combined.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Add the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves, and mix on medium-low speed until combined.
- Add about 2/3 of the flour, then mix on low speed until incorporated (the dough will look very dry and crumbly at first, but will come together after a minute or so).
- Add in the remaining flour, a little at a time, until the dough forms a ball and comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. (If the dough still seems sticky, add up to an additional 1 cup of flour, until it is smooth and easier to handle.)
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3/8-inch (rolling pin rings help to achieve an even and exact thickness) between 2 sheets of parchment paper, and cut shapes with cookie cutters.
- Transfer shapes to the prepared baking sheets, and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges and just a little softer towards the centers.
Hello Allie,
I’m from the UK and planning to make your gingerbread cookies this weekend, unfortunately my stand mixer does not have a paddle attachment so could I use the whisk attachment first and then replace the whisk attachment with the dough attachment (used to make bread etc)
Kind regards………….Maria
Hi Maria! I think that would be just fine. Good luck and enjoy!
Hi Allie! I am looking for a recipe for a gingerbread spiced cookie dough to use with my new embossing rolling pin. Do you think this one would be stiff or dry enough to hold the imprint after baking? If not, so you have any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Carsie! This is a VERY stiff dough. I think it would work well. Good luck and I hope you enjoy!
Hi Allie! I tried this recipe with my 3D rolling pin and the imprint was pretty good on the baked cookie. Since I was using the embosser, I had to flour the surface and the rolling pin. I also had to roll the dough thinner to get a good imprint. I suspect all that contributed to the cookie being somewhat dry. And, as others have said, it is not very sweet. I think I will try a thin lemon glaze to brighten them up. Also I may try the recipe again as designed for gingerbread men. It definitely holds its shape when baked! Thanks for the recipe and the advice!
My pleasure Carsie! I’m loving the idea of that lemon glaze!
Hi, what if you don’t have a stand mixer? Could I use a handheld electric mixer? Thanks!
Hey Nora! You can, but you may have to knead some of the flour in by hand at the end. It’s a VERY stiff dough, and a handheld might not have enough power to stand up to it. Good luck!
Thanks! But do you know if it would change the outcome of the recipe, or is the only issue that it would just be harder to get the dough mixed?
No it would not change the outcome of the recipe. The dough will just be a little more difficult to mix. Good luck!
I’ve not made very many cutout cookies and was wondering what to do with all the extra dough after cutting out? Can you re-roll it and cut out some more? And if so, how many times? I was as efficient as I could be, but there was still alot of extra dough that I didn’t want to waste.
Hi Miriam! Because you roll this dough out between sheets of parchment, without adding any additional flour, you can re-roll as many times as needed without it becoming tough.
I have been looking for the perfect gingerbread cookie recipe, and I tried your recipe (after trying 3 others). They were great! Your recipe wins. My search is over. Thank you!
So glad to hear that! Thanks so much for the positive feedback Jenny!
Hi! Posting from the UK! I wondered whether you could substitute the molasses for golden syrup? What is it in this recipe exactly that stops them spreading? The cornstarch? Is that the same as corn flour? Thanks!
Hi Michaela! There isn’t just one thing that keeps these cookies from spreading. It’s a combination of a lot of different things. If you want to learn more, click over to the vanilla cutout cookies recipe that’s linked a few times throughout the post. There’s a ton of info there. As for subbing ingredients, molasses (aka treacle) is definitely going to give you a more authentic flavor. I haven’t really tried using golden syrup as it’s not readily available here in the US. I think it would probably work but you just won’t have that classic gingerbread taste. And yes I do believe cornstarch is known as cornflour in the UK. It is a fine white powder. Good luck and I hope that’s helpful!
Hi! Will the texture of the cookie remain soft if margarine is used instead of butter?
Hi Holly! I haven’t actually tried that so I can’t say for sure, but if you decide to give it a go will you let me know how it turns out? Also, if you’re looking for a really soft ginger cookie, you might want to check out this recipe: https://bakingamoment.com/soft-ginger-cookies/. It’s one of my favorites!
Hi, these look great! How long do they last for? Can you freeze them? Thanks!!
Thanks Sophie! They last a really long time, especially if you keep them in an airtight container. I would say several weeks at room temperature, and several months in the freezer. Hope that’s helpful!
Hi Allie, I LOVE your recipes! I was looking at the measurements for the spices, and I haven’t made gingerbread cookies before so what would you recommend for the amounts of spices for a moderately spicy cookie? Thanks so much!
Hey JJ! So sorry for the late reply- just getting caught up again after a busy holiday season. If you prefer a less spicy cookie, I’d start by halving the amounts on the spices and see if you’re happy with the taste. Changing the amounts on the flavorings should not have a huge effect on the chemistry of the recipe. I hope that’s helpful!
Thank you for the recipe! They held their shape as promised. I do find the spice a little much for my taste so will adjust on next batch.
Great to hear! Good luck with the next batch, and thanks for reading Chris!
They look perfect, no spread. However, I found the flavor way overpowering and they are quite tough, not soft and tender as I had hoped. I followed the recipe exactly and baked only 10 min…
Hey Adam! So sorry you weren’t 100% happy with the result. You could actually cut back on the spice if you prefer a milder flavor. And they’re actually not meant to be soft, I would call them more of a tender-crisp, shortbread-like texture. They could become tough if the dough is overworked, so always mix in the flour until it’s just barely combined. Another option would be to add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. This would lighten the texture a little bit, but there could be more puffing/spreading, so if you’re really looking for something that holds it’s shape, you might have to make a choice between something sturdy and something more light. I hope that’s helpful!
After two other gingerbread recipes fails, this one was perfection. No spreading and so yummy. Thank you Allie!
Yay! So glad this one worked out well for you Tanya! Thank you so much for the positive feedback 🙂
Hi Allie! I loved this recipe! I didn’t had molasses so I used honey instead , by mistake I doubled the ground cloves amount and didn’t need the extra 1/4 cup of flour. It came out great! The easiest gingerbread dough to work with ever and so delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
So happy you liked it Claudia! That’s so great to hear. Thanks so much for the good feedback!
My son and I made these Christmas eve, and they didn’t turn out well at all. It was very bitter and they tasted gritty, almost like sand. I also had the same issue as others that the dough wouldn’t hold together. I was using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and I even added an extra egg and 2 T. water, but it was still pretty dry. I bake a lot, and I enjoy very well spiced things (so I was ok with all the extra cinnamon and ginger initially), but for some reason this recipe just didn’t work for me. I’m going to add maple syrup to the rest of the dough and try turning them into regular round cookies.
I’m so sorry you didn’t like them Jamie!
Can you use this recipe for a gingerbread house ?
Go for it Cassie!
Hi, Allie, I like the name of your site. Thank you for posting the Gingerbread Cookies recipe!
After it says, ‘add the egg’ in your directions, it seems that you missed a little instruction. After the egg is added are we supposed to “stir” with the blender attachment? Thank you!
Thanks Maria! Yes, you want to stir the egg in. And then add the other ingredients when it’s almost completely incorporated. Hope you enjoy!
How many does this make ?
Hey Charlene! That would depend entirely on the size cutter you are using. The one I have is about 3 1/2 inches and I can get a few dozen. Hopefully that’s somewhat helpful!