Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
These chewy gingerbread cookies are the perfect balance of warm spices, crinkly edges and perfectly soft and chewy centers. They’re easy to make and guaranteed to be a holiday favorite!
I hosted a Christmas cookie exchange and was excited to see everyone’s ideas and types of cookies they were bringing. I decided on these chewy gingerbread cookies because I am OBSESSED with this brown butter brown sugar cookie dough base. I also used that base for my other holiday favorite, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies.
I will be honest, these are quite similar to my Gingerbread Snickerdoodles lol. However, those are a little more “melt-in-your-mouth” texture while these ones are more dense, thick and chewy. Those are even quicker and easier to make than these but these ones do have more flavor, depth and texture to them with the brown butter, orange and fresh ginger.
But if you’re in a serious pinch, the snickerdoodles are amazing too!
Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe however, I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as over-measuring the flour is the most common baking mistake and may result in dry cookies.
- Sugar: I use both granulated sugar (for the coating) and dark brown sugar (for the cookie) and I don’t recommend reducing it because it can alter the texture of the cookies.
- I really don’t like molasses so I avoid using it lol but I recommend dark brown sugar over light brown sugar because it has a stronger molasses flavor and gives a more traditional gingerbread flavor.
- Butter: I LOVE using salted butter in cookies! Unsalted also works fine, I would just add an extra pinch of salt.
- Egg: I used 2 large room temperature eggs. Place it in hot water for a few minutes if it’s cold.
- Vanilla: Don’t underestimate the power of vanilla extract in a cookie recipe. I think for cookies, it’s essential.
- Zest: From 1 large orange.
- Baking Powder: just baking powder, no baking soda.
- Ginger: I grated about a half inch piece of fresh ginger. You can just double the amount of ground ginger used if you don’t have fresh ginger. If you like it more punchy, feel free to increase this as well, I don’t consider these to be “spicy” gingerbread.
- Spices: I use ground cinnamon and ginger for both the cookie and sugar coating. & same as above, if you like a “spicier” gingerbread, feel free to increase the spices a little.
- Salt: I like sea salt but any salt works, salt cuts some sweetness and really brings out the flavors. If you use table salt, I recommend a little less than what the recipe calls for in sea salt.
Step-By-Step Photos
- In a small pot, over medium heat, brown the butter for 5-10 minutes, stirring intermittently until it begins to bubble and foam.
- Stir continuously until you see the milk solids browning and settling on the bottom. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool a little.
- Place the dark brown sugar into a medium-large bowl and zest the orange on top.
- Use your fingers to run the zest into the sugar, allowing it to release its oils for flavor.
- Add the butter and stir a little, whisking aggressively to cool it quicker.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk aggressively for 2-3 minutes, until it’s smooth and has lightened in color.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold the cookie dough just until the last streak of flour is incorporated.
- Freeze cookie dough for at least 15-30 minutes, or refrigerate for longer, then scoop sixteen 2ish ounce cookies.
- Refrigerate or freeze after scooping to let the dough firm up a little more, about 15 minutes should be fine.
- Place the granulated sugar into a bowl and zest the rest of the orange on top. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.
- Add the cinnamon and ginger and mix until it’s well combined.
- Roll the cookie dough balls generously into the sugar mix, place onto a baking sheet with a few inches between them
- Bake one sheet on the middle rack for 8ish minutes then remove, bang on the counter, use a round biscuit cutter to scoot them around so they’re round and return to the oven for another 4ish minutes, just until the edges are starting to brown. The centers may be puffed and not look fully baked – that’s ok, they’ll finish baking as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flakey sea salt allowing them to rest on the pan.
- I tap the pan on the counter & use a round biscuit cutter again to scoot them around so they’re perfectly round.
*these photos below are of a double batch so it may look like a larger quantity than what the recipe calls for…as always recipe can be doubled/tripled, etc in the recipe card.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cookie dough is pretty soft so you’ll want to scoop it out, then refrigerate it on a plate or tray until the cookie dough balls are more firm. Then place them in a ziplock bag and freeze. To bake, remove them from the freezer as the oven is preheating and bake 325 F (163 C).
I haven’t tested egg free cookies but you can make these cookies with dairy free butter.
I have tested my base cookie dough recipes with 1:1 substitute for King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour Blends. The cookies turn out perfectly, they just have a traditional gluten-free flour flavor which is a little earthy/nuttier.
Of course! Whatever you’re craving today, raisins or other dried fruits, dark chocolate, milk chocolate etc. Or give it a whirl with some delicious homemade praline pecans!
Most cookies bake a little bit uneven around the edges, especially if the dough is soft and not refrigerated before baking. To get your cookies perfectly round, as soon as you remove them from the oven, use anything round like a biscuit cutter/cup/mug, etc. to scoot the cookies around within the circle.
Be gentle so you don’t break the soft cookie but you have to be quick and do it as soon as the cookie comes out of the oven, before the edges set.
I recommend you place them in a ziplock bag or cookie jar and keep them at room temperature for a few days. Or you can make them for a cookie exchange like I did and you won’t need to store them!
Obviously they will last longer but dry out a little more if you refrigerate them but I just microwave for like 5-10 seconds before eating.
Thanks so much for reading today’s post, if you have any questions just comment down below.
If you make these chewy gingerbread cookies, I would love it if you left a review or a 5-star rating for it in the recipe card.
As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
