Soft + Chewy Christmas Gingerbread Cookies
These Soft + Chewy Christmas Gingerbread Cookies are incredibly melt-in-your-mouth goodness! Super soft and chewy, these cookies are easy, bigger than your average cookie, and bursting with delicious ginger + white chocolate flavors, and REQUIRES NO CHILLING! This is the perfect sweet indulge for the entire family during ANY season, especially during the Holidays and they make for the best little DIY gifts!
Soft + Chewy Christmas Gingerbread Cookies is the perfect name for these, if I say so myself. Haha.
These cookies are absolutely insane! I mean, they truly do melt-in-your-mouth and are SO INSANELY SOFT. Gosh!
With Christmas just around the corner and only a few short days away, I’m so in the spirit of things. Thankfully, I’ve completed all of my shopping and am awaiting for the last bit of shipments to arrive.
This year has been such a fun experience with gathering gifts, hiding them until everyone’s asleep and then wrapping them so that no one sees them. I’ve literally been ducking and dodging around every package delivered so that my husband doesn’t open any of his gifts. Haha.
Thankfully, it has worked up until this point, so hey!
Follow along my 25 Days to Christmas Recipe Countdown via Instagram and tag #orchidsandsweettea whenever you make one of my recipes!
Why Christmas Gingerbread Cookies?
OK, so back to these amazing cookies. I honestly wanted to make an entire Gingerbread House this year along with festive Gingerbread Men cookies, however, after going through the Holiday season with so much content to create, I chose to make these Christmas Gingerbread Cookies instead, which were the best decision!
I love a good soft + chewy cookie, so these cookies definitely meet all of the requirements for a nice sweet indulge. Plus, the half white chocolate glaze adds a nice beautiful touch along with the festive sprinkles, which makes for an amazing small DIY gift to your loved ones. For amazing DIY gifts that are related to wellness and a healthier lifestyle, I recommend visiting Hello Glow, one of my favorite Lifestyle blogs!
But these cookies are just as chewy, soft, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth GOOD.
Since I’ve been doing my 25 Days to Christmas, I wasn’t able to do Cookie Week, however I’m planning on doing a lot more in 2021. It’s definitely going to be a year full of unique content.
However, if you’re truly a cookie fan, then we’ve got you covered with the following delicious recipes!
Obsessed with Cookies? These are a MUST!
These Chewy Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies are the epitome of chocolatey goodness in every single bite! These cookies are incredibly soft and chewy with a beautiful outer crispiness and overall chunkiness!
Crispy + Chewy Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies—-the epitome of Christmas carols + chocolate chip goodness in every single bite! Made with all organic ingredients, these cookies are easy, thick, perfectly bite-size and bursting with delicious funfetti + chocolate flavors, and REQUIRES NO CHILLING! This is the perfect sweet indulge for the entire family during ANY season, especially during the Holidays.
These Chewy Brown Butter Pecan Cookies are absolutely the best cookies you’ll ever make! They come exploding with crunchy toasted pecans and a salty + sweet brown butter flavor—-an awesome combination in my book.
These Soft Oversized Crinkled Sprinkle Sugar Cookies are so good, they’ll leave you indulging in two or three before you even realize it. Super soft and tender with a slightly crispy edge, these sugar cookies are nothing like the traditional, yet are so easy to whip together. Perfect sweet treat for the entire family, especially during the Holidays.
These Soft + Crisp Crinkled Butterscotch Cookies are truly my newest favorite flavor of cookies. Unlike standard cookies, these small handheld favorites are full of bold buttery and sweet butterscotch flavors—which work perfectly together. In addition, they are slightly crinkled in look and comes thinly crispy and makes for a real obsession.
When it comes to these Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies, there isn’t much that can be said–they are JUST PERFECT! Super soft, crumbles in your mouth, extremely easy to make, and completely dairy-free; these cookies make for a great sweet treat for those early mornings where you can’t help yourself to something sweet before breakfast, or after lunch or dinner.
My Cookie Making Back Story + Tips.
To confess—cookies were actually (and still sometimes are) the dessert that I least enjoy making because I often never make them as perfectly as I’d like. While they might be simple for some to make, they aren’t the easiest for me to make for some reason. Honestly, the shape or texture seems hard to achieve depending on the flavor for me. What about you?
Thankfully, however, I’ve been getting a lot better with my cookies and these were testament to that, which is why I chose to share my best Tips for making the Perfect Cookies.
5 TIPS TO MAKING THE PERFECT COOKIES.
#1: WHEN IT COMES TO MIXING, DON’T OVER-MIX. JUST MIX UNTIL FULLY COMBINED!
Yes, so in most cases, over-mixing can be a real disaster. It can sometimes turn your sweet treats super dense, hard, or one not so amazing mess. Therefore, try to avoid over-mixing and stop the moment everything is completely combined and incorporated!
#2: TOO STICKY? REFRIGERATE!
OK, so while regular cookies often require refrigeration, this cookie recipe doesn’t. However, if you’ve mixed everything together well and it appears SUPER STICKY, simply refrigerate them after scooping them onto your baking sheet and they’ll form nicely and bake well.
#3: WORK SMALLER SCOOPS AS OPPOSED TO BIGGER ONES WHEN YOU CAN.
Personally, I found that my cookies baked better (and more in tact) whenever I scooped them small instead of regular sized like traditional cookies. Because the batter is a bit more “soft”, I find that scooping too large might make them super flat and not so great in texture. But of course, it all depends on the texture of the batter in the first place and these cookies have the perfect texture, which makes them come out just as perfect although they are larger!
#4: PARCHMENT PAPER AWAY!
I do this for all of my cookie (or baking) recipes, however, in case that you don’t, it’s especially important for cookies—-use that Parchment Paper or non-stick mat. It’s going to ensure that they don’t stick or became a disaster.
#5: COOL, COOL, + COOL SOME MORE!
These little beauties are SUPER SOFT therefore movement might not be the best before they are fully cooled. Simply cool them onto the baking sheet after removing them from the oven for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to fully cool, somewhere between 15-20 minutes in a cool place.
REGULAR MOLASSES VS. BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES?!
OK, so if you aren’t aware, there are two types of Molasses—-regular and blackstrap.
While most people use regular molasses which is literally ‘bittersweet’, I tend to use blackstrap molasses in all of my recipes as a way to cut back on the sugar content.
Blackstrap is hardly used by many due to it’s bitterness and ‘heaviness’ when use din baking since it can make the texture of your baked goods more thick and dense if not used correctly.
That’s why I use only HALF THE AMOUNT of molasses that a recipe might otherwise require. That way, I get the darker color (not too dark) without compromising the texture or taste.
ARE THERE ANY BENEFITS TO BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES?
But did you know that Blackstrap Molasses actually has more nutritional value? Yup.
It actually contains vital vitamins and minerals such as: iron, calcium, magnesium, Vitamin B6, and Selenium. In addition, it is considered a superfood.
How Do You Store Leftover Gingerbread Cookies? Frozen Vs. Chilled.
Cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for slightly longer freshness (about 2 weeks).
There cookies can also be frozen for 4-5 months and reheated to thaw out. Any unused cookie dough batter can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month and then thaw overnight in the fridge, if you choose not to use it right away!
Lover of Gingerbread? These Recipes Are Perfect for this Season.
These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are not your typical, traditional rolls. The gingerbread spices add great flavor to every sweet bite and the maple cream cheese frosting is beyond amazing!
These Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Gingerbread Waffles are the perfect option for allergy sensitivity to grains, gluten, and dairy. Made in just one bowl, these waffles are naturally sweetened, boast of their warm spices, fluffy, thick, airy, and topped with a delicious cranberry compote that creates a killer flavor profile!
This Vegan Gingerbread Cake + Chai Buttercream is a healthier option to a Holiday classic + favorite—Gingerbread!. Not only is it completely moist + fluffy, but it’s also loaded with warm ginger and spices, that when paired with this airy vegan dirty chai buttercream, they all work amazingly together and just melts in your mouth with goodness.
These Healthy Vegan Gingerbread Quinoa Muffins are the perfect grab-n-go breakfast or snack for the entire family. Jam-packed with delicious ginger flavor, comforting spices, and high-protein from the quinoa; these muffins are the perfect naturally sweetened indulge for the Holidays and beyond. Super easy to whip together, dairy-free, vegan, and oil-free.
Best Substitutes for Molasses?
OK, so if you’re not a fan of using molasses, then I completely understand. While molasses usually plays the most important role for the beautiful brown color in anything Gingerbread, there are definitely other options! I read recently on Food52 that there were about 7 possible substitutes for molasses, however, my faves from the list include:
- Dark Maple Syrup (Just be sure to reduce other liquids slightly to avoid an overly wet dough)
- Dark Corn Syrup
- DIY Mix: 1/2 honey + 1/2 brown sugar or 1/2 dark corn syrup + 1/2 maple syrup
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
- 2 tsps baking soda
- 1 cup pure cane sugar (I use Wholesome Sweets)
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp. (That's 1 1/2 sticks!)
- 1 large organic egg, room temp.
- 1/4 cup molasses (See Notes!)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsps ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp allspice
White Chocolate Glaze/Coating:
- 2-3 cups white chocolate (I use Ghirardelli)
- 1/2 cup organic heavy whipping cream + more if needed! (See Notes!)
Other:
- Holiday Sprinkles
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
- In the bowl of your electric stand-mixer (w/ a paddle attachment), beat together the unsalted butter until creamy and add both sugars, beating on medium speed until creamy and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and molasses. NOTE: Scrape down the sides if you need to.
- Next, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, sea salt, and spices, and them slowly to the mixer. Beat until full combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Scoop the batter out into 3 Tbsp amounts (twice the size of regular cookies) and onto the baking sheet, keeping them roughly 1-inch apart. NOTE: I placed 4-5 cookies on each baking sheet to leave enough space in between each one.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges. At the HALFWAY MARK, about 5 minutes in, remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully bang it onto a countertop a few times (2 or 3 times) before placing cookies back into the oven. This creates a slight "crinkled look" and flattens cookies a bit if too puffy. NOTE: The cookies will look really soft in the middles when you remove them from the oven, however, they will harden once cooled.
- Repeat same steps with each round of cookies until entire batter has been used.
- Once done, remove them from oven and let cool for 10 minutes or so before transferring them unto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make your white chocolate top coat.
White Chocolate Glaze/Coat:
- In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add in your heavy cream and let boil slightly, for about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- In a medium heat-safe bowl, add white chocolate chips then safely pour heat heavy cream over chips and whisk vigorously until chocolate has melted entirely and is smooth. NOTE: glaze should look thick, yet runs off whisk easily.
- Once cookies are fully set and cooled, dip one side of cookies into melted white chocolate and transfer to cooling rack for coating to set + cool. Add Christmas sprinkles right away before coating hardens. Repeat until all cookies are coated and decorated.
- Enjoy these cookies with your favorite glass of milk, tea, coffee, or tied with a bow as a beautiful DIY Holiday git.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for slightly longer freshness (about 2 weeks). Can be frozen for 4-5 months and reheated to thaw out. Any unused cookie dough batter can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month and then thaw overnight in the fridge, if you choose not to use it right away!
- TIPS ON THE PERFECT COOKIES: Read within the Post!
- MOLASSES: If using regular molasses, you can use the recommended amount as listed in the recipe. If using Blackstrap Molasses, simply use 1 less Tbsp than the amount listed to ensure that the batter isn’t too bitter.
- MOLASSES SUBSTITUTES: Dark Maple Syrup (Just be sure to reduce other liquids slightly to avoid an overly wet dough), Dark Corn Syrup, DIY Mix: 1/2 honey + 1/2 brown sugar or 1/2 dark corn syrup + 1/2 maple syrup.
- HEAVY CREAM: Instead of using heavy whipping cream, you can also use Almond milk.
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Soft + Chewy Christmas Gingerbread Cookies.
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