Cinnamon Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies

Nothing says the holidays like the warm smell of gingerbread baking in the oven. I start making these cookies right after Thanksgiving and don’t stop until New Year’s. My kids ask for them every year, and honestly, I look forward to making them just as much as they look forward to eating them.

These aren’t fancy cookies that require special tools or hours of decorating. They’re the kind your grandma probably made – simple, spiced just right, and perfectly chewy. I love that I can mix up the dough in one bowl and have cookies ready in about an hour.

The best part? Your house will smell like Christmas for the rest of the day. I always make a double batch because half of them disappear before they even make it to the cookie jar. Trust me, you’ll want extras.

What Kind of Flour Should I Use?

All-purpose flour is your best bet for these gingerbread cookies, and it’s what most people have sitting in their pantry already. The moderate protein content in all-purpose flour gives you cookies that hold their shape well during baking while still staying tender. If you only have bread flour on hand, that’ll work too, though your cookies might be a bit chewier. Cake flour isn’t the best choice here since it’s too soft and won’t give your gingerbread the structure it needs to hold up to all those warm spices and molasses.

Options for Substitutions

While these classic cookies are best with traditional ingredients, here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Molasses: This is really the star of gingerbread, so I’d recommend sticking with it if possible. In a pinch, you can use honey or dark corn syrup, but your cookies won’t have that deep, rich gingerbread flavor we all love.
• Brown sugar: White sugar works fine here, though you’ll lose some of the molasses notes. You can also use coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor profile.
• Butter: Unsalted butter works too – just add an extra pinch of salt to the dough. Vegetable shortening can substitute in equal amounts, though the texture will be slightly different.
• Spices: Don’t have all the spices? You can use 2 teaspoons of pre-made pumpkin pie spice instead, or focus on just cinnamon and ginger if that’s what you have on hand.
• All-purpose flour: You can substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed, though the cookies may be slightly more crumbly.
• Egg: For egg-free cookies, try 1/4 cup applesauce or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water (let it sit for 5 minutes first).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making gingerbread cookies is rolling the dough too thin, which leads to cookies that burn easily and become overly crispy – aim for about 1/4 inch thickness for the perfect chewy texture.

Another common error is skipping the chilling step after mixing your dough, but cold dough is much easier to roll out and holds its shape better during baking, so wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Don’t overbake these cookies since they continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven – they should look slightly underdone in the center when you take them out, as they’ll firm up as they cool.

For extra flavor depth, try chilling your shaped cookies on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before baking, which helps prevent spreading and keeps those clean edges you worked so hard to cut.

What to Serve With Gingerbread Cookies?

These spiced cookies are perfect on their own, but they really shine when paired with a warm cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or spiced cider that complements all those cozy winter flavors. I love serving them alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a simple dessert that feels a bit more special. They’re also great for dunking into a cold glass of milk, especially if you have kids around who love that classic cookie-and-milk combo. During the holidays, I like to arrange them on a platter with other seasonal treats like sugar cookies or fudge for a festive cookie spread that everyone can enjoy.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These gingerbread cookies stay soft and chewy when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. I like to add a slice of bread to the container to help keep them from getting too crispy – just replace the bread slice every couple of days.

Freeze: You can freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, or freeze the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet before transferring to freezer bags. The dough freezes really well and you can bake them straight from frozen – just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Make Ahead: The cookie dough actually gets better after sitting in the fridge overnight, so feel free to make it a day ahead. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 days before rolling and baking.

Preparation Time	60-75 minutes
Cooking Time	10-12 minutes
Total Time	70-87 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1560-1700
• Protein: 17-21 g
• Fat: 64-72 g
• Carbohydrates: 240-260 g

Ingredients

• 1 large egg (room temperature works best)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred for better flavor)
• 6 tbsp salted butter (softened to room temperature for easier creaming)
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup molasses (I use Grandma’s unsulphured molasses)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed for accurate measurement)
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves (freshly ground if possible for warmest spice notes)

Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar

• 6 tbsp salted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and packed brown sugar.

Beat together for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.

This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps the cookies have a tender crumb.

Make sure your butter is truly softened to room temperature—this makes creaming easier and ensures proper incorporation of air.

Step 2: Mix in Wet Ingredients and Spices

• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Add the molasses and egg to the creamed butter mixture from Step 1, mixing on medium speed until fully combined and smooth.

Then add the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, baking soda, and salt.

Mix until all the spices are evenly distributed throughout the wet mixture.

I prefer to use freshly ground cinnamon and cloves when possible—the flavor difference is noticeable and worth the extra effort.

The baking soda will react slightly with the acidic molasses, so don’t over-mix after adding it.

Step 3: Incorporate Flour and Chill Dough

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2

Add the all-purpose flour to the wet mixture from Step 2, stirring on low speed or by hand until a cohesive dough forms.

Don’t overmix—mix just until the flour is fully incorporated and no dry streaks remain.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Chilling is essential for gingerbread cookies because it firms up the dough, making it easier to roll and cut, and it also allows the spice flavors to develop and meld together.

Step 4: Shape and Cut Cookies

• chilled dough from Step 3

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and place it between two sheets of parchment paper.

Roll the dough to a uniform 1/4-inch thickness—this ensures even baking and consistent texture.

Using your favorite cookie cutters, cut out shapes and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart to allow for slight spreading during baking.

Step 5: Bake and Cool Cookies

• shaped cookies from Step 4

Bake the cookies in the preheated 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still feel slightly soft to the touch.

The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to set slightly, then transfer them to a cooling rack where they’ll continue to firm up and develop a perfect chewy-yet-crisp texture.

Allow them to cool completely on the rack for about 30 minutes before serving or storing.