Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

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It’s been so long since I’ve actually made gingerbread cookies. We usually always make our family recipe for sugar cookies, Jacob’s favorite mint chocolate crinkle cookies, and our favorite reindeer thumbprint cookies.

But we hardly ever make gingerbread cookies. I’ve made them before, but they’ve always been either a really difficult recipe or frankly, just haven’t tasted that great.

Not so with this recipe. These cookies are slightly chewy with a somewhat crunchy edge. You are going to love it!

These chewy gingerbread cookies have disappeared from our cookie jar rather quickly. In fact, I’ve considered making another batch.

Though these cookies are cutout cookies, don’t let that stop you from making them. They’re so simple. I’m definitely adding this recipe to my list of The Best Christmas Recipes for Your Holiday Celebrations.

Kid-Friendly Recipe for Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

We actually have all sorts of things planned for this week (or rather, I have a few surprises up my sleeve).

The week before Christmas we usually do a little Christmas school, where instead of hitting the books, we do fun Christmas-y things, like make all sorts of goodies, start a Christmas puzzle, put together a gingerbread house, read Christmas books, go shopping for any last minute gifts, go see Christmas lights, and just spend time together.

Baking together is one of our favorite things.

With this recipe, we chose to make Christmas trees, gingerbread men, and stars.

Creating recipes like this gives opportunity to teach kids a few cooking skills… For instance, they can learn how to roll out dough. Warning: They may even fight over who gets to roll the dough.

They can also cut out the cookies and put them on the cookie sheet. My boys love to actually decorate cookies with Easy Sugar Cookie Icing, though I’m not sure how much decorating gets done vs. eating.

Looking for more Christmas cookie recipes?

• Chocolate Lover’s Christmas Light Cookies
• Butter Almond Snowball Christmas Cookies
• 30 of the Most Scrumptious Classic Christmas Cookies Ever

You can find even more holiday recipes on my list of The Best Christmas Recipes for Your Holiday Celebrations!

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Below you’ll find the printable recipe. This recipe is adapted from the Gingerbread Boys recipe in the old 1969 version of Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. Don’t you just love vintage cookbooks? Within the pages are treasures to be found.

I tweaked and added a few things to give the recipe my own touch. Also, just a helpful note, the cookies are even better the next day. I hope you enjoy!

Print

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 1 -2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• Easy Sugar Cookie Icing optional, link below

Instructions

1. Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
2. Add molasses, milk, and lemon juice, mixing well.
3. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture. Mix well.
4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and roll out on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness.
6. Cut out cookie shapes with desired Christmas cookie cutters.
7. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375° for about 10 minutes.
8. Remove from cookie sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.
9. Decorate as desired with Easy Sugar Cookie Icing. 

Recipe Notes

 (Recipe adapted from the Gingerbread Boys recipe in the 1969 version of Betty Crocker's Cookbook.)

Can’t make the recipe just yet? Pin it for later!