Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies – Soft & Chewy

The aroma of old fashioned gingerbread cookies drifting through the kitchen is my earliest Christmas memory. Mom—now an amazing 101‑and‑a‑half years young—still rolls the sticky dough across wax paper, dusting it with flour while humming Bing Crosby. Last week she invited me over, pressed a well‑worn recipe card into my hand, and said, “It’s time you learned the real way.” One bite of these pillowy, honey‑kissed cookies, and I was five years old again, waiting by the oven door for the timer to ding. Today I’m sharing her century‑old recipe so you can bake a little slice of holiday history, no matter the season.

Ingredients You’ll Need
Step‑by‑Step Instructions
Variations & Substitutions
Make‑Ahead, Storage & Freezing
Serving Suggestions
FAQ
Recipe Card

Ingredients You’ll Need

½ lb (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup molasses minus 2 Tbsp (we use Grandma’s blackstrap)
2 Tbsp honey
1 large egg
2 cups all‑purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup buttermilk

Pantry check: No fancy spices—just the classics that made Mom’s kitchen smell like the North Pole.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions for Soft Gingerbread Cookies

1. Cream & Sweeten (5 min)

In a large bowl, cream butter & brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in molasses, honey, and egg until smooth.

2. Sift & Stir (3 min)

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
Add dry mixture to wet in two additions, alternating with buttermilk, mixing just until combined.

3. Chill & Shape (30 min hands‑off)

Dough will be soft and tacky—cover and chill 30 minutes to make handling easier.
Flour your board generously; turn out dough and knead lightly. Shape into a 12‑inch log; dust with flour.

4. Slice & Bake (10 min)

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
Cut ½‑inch slices; lay 2 inches apart.
Bake 10 minutes or until edges are set and centers still look a touch soft— that’s the secret to soft gingerbread cookies.
Cool on wire rack.

Pro Tip: Work fast—warm hands melt butter, making the dough sticky again. If it softens, pop slices into the fridge for 5 minutes before baking.

Variations & Substitutions

Crisp Edges: Bake 12 minutes for snappier cookies.
Iced Gingerbread Biscuits: Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 Tbsp lemon juice; drizzle over cooled cookies for a citrus pop.
Gluten‑Free: Substitute 1‑for‑1 all‑purpose GF blend plus ½ tsp xanthan gum.
Extra Spice: Add ⅛ tsp ground cloves and a pinch of black pepper for deeper warmth.

Make‑Ahead, Storage & Freezing

Refrigerate Dough: Wrap log; chill up to 3 days, slicing & baking fresh as needed.
Freeze Raw Dough: Freeze the log double‑wrapped; thaw overnight in fridge before slicing.
Store Baked Cookies: Airtight tin keeps cookies soft 1 week. Refresh by microwaving 6 seconds.

Serving Suggestions

We love stacking old fashioned gingerbread cookies beside a mug of hot cocoa or crumbling them over vanilla ice cream. For a full dessert board, pair with a slice of Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake and wedges of Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake. Your holiday guests won’t know where to bite first!

Kitchen Table Question

Do you prefer your gingerbread chewy or crisp? Tell us how you bake yours in the comments!

FAQ

Q 1. Can I roll and cut shapes instead of slicing?
Yes—chill dough 2 hours, roll ¼‑inch thick on floured board, and bake 8 minutes.

Q 2. My dough is too sticky! Help?
Add 1 Tbsp flour at a time or chill an extra 15 minutes.

Q 3. How do I keep molasses cookies from drying out?
Store with a slice of bread in the tin—the bread sacrifices its moisture to the cookies.

Did Mom’s old fashioned gingerbread cookies transport you back in time? Drop your memories or spice tweaks in the comments below, tag your cookie photos on Instagram, and pin the recipe for holiday baking days!

Happy baking, friend! 🎄🍪