These Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing are a simple homemade recipe for Christmas and Holiday baking. Made with warm spices and rich molasses, they stay soft and hold their shape while baking, which makes them ideal for decorating with royal icing.
These molasses cookies are easy and fun to decorate – do it with your kids or friends, and you’ll enjoy the time spent together! These are magical moments that last a lifetime… so don’t waste any time – let’s get started, and these must-have Christmas cookies will be yours!
Christmas cookies, holiday cookies, spiced cookies – all of them remind me of soft gingerbread. I enjoy decorating them; it relaxes me and fills me with positive energy. I love making Christmas cookies, and one of my favorites is Holiday Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies.
Why does this Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing recipe work?
This recipe is effective because it uses the perfect balance of spices and molasses to create soft gingerbread cookies that are easy to roll out, bake, and decorate.
Molasses and brown sugar make the cookies moist and flavorful.
Chilled dough helps the cookies keep their shape.
The correct baking time keeps them soft while still firm enough for royal icing.
The result is reliable, soft gingerbread cookies that look beautiful and taste amazing.
Ingredients
- all purpose flour
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- unsalted butter
- dark or light brown sugar
- unsulphured dark molasses
- egg
- vanilla extract
- milk
- granulated sugar for decorations
The ingredient amounts and the full recipe are located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card. And now, step by step to perfect gingerbread cookies!
How do I make Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing?
1. Make the dough
Mix the dry ingredients – flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Mix the wet ingredients by beating the butter and brown sugar, then add the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Combine the dry and wet ingredients to form a soft dough.
2. Chill the dough
Shape the dough into a ball, divide it into 4 portions, and form each one into a disc. Wrap them well and chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Roll and cut
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick, then cut out your desired shapes.
4. Bake
Bake at 350°F for 7–9 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Let cool.
5. Make the royal icing
Whip the egg white until foamy, then gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form.
6. Decorate
Transfer the royal icing to a piping bag and decorate the cookies, then sprinkle with sugar.
Tips and tricks for perfect Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing
- Use room-temperature ingredients – egg, molasses, and softened butter. Make sure the butter isn’t too soft, or the cookies will spread too much while baking and become greasy. The butter is ready when you press it and it leaves an indentation; if it looks shiny, it’s too soft.
- Do not over-mix the dough. Mix only until the ingredients are combined – overmixing will make the gingerbread cookies tough.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out. Chilling the dough for at least 4 hours helps the cookies keep their shape and prevents spreading in the oven.
- Bake until the edges are set while the centers remain soft.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating. The royal icing will melt if the cookies are even slightly warm.
- Sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles while the icing is still wet so they stick.
FAQs – Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing
Why are my gingerbread cookies hard?
Hard gingerbread cookies usually happen because of overbaking or adding too much flour. Bake the cookies until the edges are set while the centers remain soft. Measure the flour correctly—ideally by grams. If you’re measuring with cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off. Do not scoop the flour directly with the cup, as this packs it down and results in more flour than needed, which will make your cookies dry.
How to achieve the perfect icing consistency?
Always start with a thick icing and then thin it as needed!
The basic thick icing for outlining should hold stiff peaks and have a toothpaste-like consistency. If it’s too runny, add powdered sugar; if it’s too thick, add a few drops of water. To check if it’s the right consistency for outlines, drag a knife through the surface – if the line stays clear and doesn’t fill in, it’s perfect.
Icing for flooding should be thinner. Add water drop by drop and stir constantly. Test by dragging a toothpick through the icing; the line should disappear within 10–15 seconds.
If you want to color your icing, avoid liquid food coloring as it will thin the icing. Use gel colors instead – they are more concentrated and won’t affect the consistency.
Can I use meringue powder instead of egg white?
Yes! Take 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon meringue powder, and 2 – 3 tablespoons water. Mix the powdered sugar and meringue powder, then add 2 tablespoons of water and beat. Add water drop by drop until you reach the desired consistency.
Can I make the dough in advance?
Yes, you can chill the dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
How do I keep gingerbread cookies soft?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature with a slice of bread inside to help retain moisture.
Can I freeze them?
Absolutely! Baked, fully cooled, and undecorated cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer bag, with parchment paper between the layers.If you want to freeze decorated gingerbread cookies, wait until the royal icing is completely set (6–12 hours), then place them in a freezer bag with parchment paper between layers. Frozen, decorated cookies can last 1–2 months in the freezer, with the best flavor and texture during the first month.
Christmas is just around the corner! Are you ready? Santa Claus is busy preparing gifts – have you baked cookies for him yet? I suggest a big Christmas cookie-baking session with family or friends – it’ll be fun… With lots of laughter and good times, the cookies will taste even better.
Warning! These cookies are incredibly delicious, so store them safely before they disappear. P.S. Don’t forget to leave some for Santa Claus.
More Christmas cookies
White Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies
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Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing
These Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing are a simple homemade recipe for Christmas and Holiday baking. Made with warm spices and rich molasses, they stay soft and hold their shape while baking,
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softned
- 1 1/3 cups dark or light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup unsulphured dark molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
Royal Icing
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decoration
- Granulated Sugar or Sprinkles – optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl—or a large bowl if using a hand mixer—beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla, and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides again. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed after each addition. Do not overmix. Finally, stir in the milk.
- Shape the dough into a ball and divide it into 4 portions. Form each portion into a 1-inch-thick disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove a disc from the refrigerator. Lightly flour your work surface, then sprinkle a little more flour on top of the dough. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick, using gentle pressure to prevent cracking. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 7–9 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with royal icing. For best results, bake one sheet at a time.
- To make the royal icing
- In a stand mixer bowl—or a large bowl if using a hand mixer—beat the egg white on low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Continue mixing on low speed while gradually adding the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla, mixing until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat, or the icing will lose its shine.
- Transfer to a piping bag and decorate the cookies. For tips on achieving the perfect consistency, see the FAQ section in the post.
- If you want to flood the cookies, start by outlining the edges with thicker icing and let it set slightly (2–5 minutes), then fill in the interior with thinner icing. Use a toothpick to smooth the icing. Add extra details, dots, or lines only after the icing has fully dried. Keep royal icing covered, as it dries quickly.
- While the icing is still wet, you can sprinkle granulated sugar or sprinkles if desired. Let dry at room temperature. The surface will dry in 1–2 hours (complete drying takes 6–12 hours
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients – egg, molasses, and softened butter. Make sure the butter isn’t too soft, or the cookies will spread too much while baking and become greasy. The butter is ready when you press it and it leaves an indentation; if it looks shiny, it’s too soft.
- Do not over-mix the dough. Mix only until the ingredients are combined – overmixing will make the gingerbread cookies tough.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out. Chilling the dough for at least 4 hours helps the cookies keep their shape and prevents spreading in the oven.
- Bake until the edges are set while the centers remain soft.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating. The royal icing will melt if the cookies are even slightly warm.
- Sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles while the icing is still wet so they stick.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 192Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 95mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
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