Soft Gingerbread Cookies

These Soft Gingerbread Cookies are easy to make and are delicious any time of the year!

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Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

My family is full of chocolate lovers, but these Soft Gingerbread Cookies disappeared like magic. Before shooting for this post, we had to keep hiding the cookies so that we would have some to photograph. Everyday my son would come home and ask if they were available to eat, and after we were done shooting, they were gone in a flash.

The cookies are easy to make, they taste delicious, and have a strong ginger and molasses flavor that can’t be beat. While gingersnaps are awesome and crunchy, these Soft Gingerbread Cookies almost melt in your mouth!

What to use instead of molasses:

If you are in a pinch you can substitute 3/4 cup of sugar + 1/4 cup of water for every 1 cup of molasses. However, these cookies get their awesome rich flavor from the molasses.

Are Gingerbread Cookies good for you?

These are cookies, so they aren’t exactly health food. However, molasses is the most nutritional sweetener available, and is a good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and selenium. Ginger has also been used for years to treat inflammation and nausea.

Products used in making this recipe:
Baker’s Secret 3-Cup Stainless Steel Flour Sifter
Bellemain Cooling Rack – Baking Rack, Chef Quality 12 inch x 17 inch – Tight-Grid Design, Oven Safe, Fits Half Sheet Cookie Pan
Baker’s Secret 3-Cup Stainless Steel Flour Sifter
OXO Good Grips Wooden Spoon Set, 3-Piece

5 from 1 vote

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Soft Gingerbread Cookies

These Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies are easy to make and are delicious any time of the year!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cookie, Ginger, Gingerbread

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 24 Cookies

Calories 277 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups sugar + extra for dusting
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease or cover 2 large cookie sheets. 

   
   

2. In a large bowl, combine vegetable shortening, sugar, softened butter, molasses, eggs and vanilla.  Mix with a wooden spoon until only small lumps of butter remain.

3. In a separate large bowl, sift together flour, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt.  

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring after each addition.

5. Chill dough uncovered in refrigerator for 10 minutes.

6. Form dough into balls using a 1 tablespoon scoop and roll in sugar.

7. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.   Do not over bake.

8. Let cookies cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from a recipe by Betty Ackerly. 

Nutrition Facts

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 277 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 12g 18%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 23mg 8%

Sodium 273mg 11%

Potassium 134mg 4%

Total Carbohydrates 38g 13%

Sugars 21g

Protein 2g 4%

Vitamin A 2.8%

Calcium 2.3%

Iron 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.