The Perfect Soft Gingerbread Cookies: A Chef-Tested Recipe
There’s something incredibly comforting about a freshly baked soft gingerbread cookie—crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and bursting with warm spices. This recipe is near and dear to my heart, not just because it yields the most delicious soft gingerbread cookies you’ll ever taste, but because it comes from a time when I worked at a top 100 restaurant in the world. Back then, our team spent two full days testing and tweaking this recipe until we perfected it. The result? A soft gingerbread cookie that became an instant favorite. Now, I’m excited to share it with you, with a few notes on how to adjust it based on your location.
At higher elevations, flour tends to absorb more liquid, so those baking closer to sea level might find that a little less water or a touch more flour works best.
The Ingredients:
Here’s what you’ll need to make about 12 perfect soft gingerbread cookies:
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2.5 cups flour
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1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
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1 tsp ground ginger
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1 tsp baking soda
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3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
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1/2 tsp ground clove
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1/2 tsp kosher salt
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3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
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1 cup sugar
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1 large egg
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1 tbsp water (adjust if needed based on your altitude)
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1/4 cup dark molasses
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, egg, water, and dark molasses. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. Incorporate the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, fresh ginger, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, clove, and kosher salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a cohesive dough forms.
3. Shape the Dough
Scoop small portions of dough and roll them into balls, about the size of a walnut. Toss each ball in raw sugar to coat evenly.
4. Bake
Place the dough balls on a lined baking tray, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 9 minutes. Keep a close eye on them—they should be slightly puffed and cracked on top, but still soft in the center. Depending on your oven, the baking time may vary between 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Cool and Enjoy
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Once cooled, they’re ready to enjoy!
Baking Tips
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Ginger Variations: Using both fresh and ground ginger gives these cookies a more complex, layered flavor. If you prefer a spicier kick, feel free to add an extra pinch of fresh ginger.
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Molasses Choice: Dark molasses adds a rich, deep flavor to these cookies. If you only have light molasses on hand, the cookies will be slightly milder but still delicious.
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Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They also freeze well if you want to make a batch ahead of time.
Final Thoughts
This soft gingerbread cookie recipe has a special place in my heart, not only because of the countless hours spent perfecting it in a professional kitchen, but also because of how it continues to bring joy to those who taste it. Whether you’re baking at high altitude or sea level, keep in mind that slight adjustments may be necessary. At approximately 1100m above sea level, where this recipe was developed, flour tends to absorb more liquid. Those baking closer to sea level might find that using a little less water or slightly more flour yields the best results. Just remember to watch your flour and liquid ratios, and you’ll be on your way to baking perfection.
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Happy baking!