Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (2024)

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (1)

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Sure, there are tons of different Christmas cookies you can make during the holiday season. There are all those sugar cookies to start, plus lingers, meringues, and more. But there's only one flavor of cookie that absolutely has to be on the dessert table each season: Gingerbread.

All too often, though, the gingerbread cookies are uninspired. It's the same plain dough, the same little-man cookie cutter, and the same white frosting over and over. This year, why not shake things up? We've put together more than three dozen of our favorite gingerbread and ginger-based cookie recipes from our site and around the web to help you whip up a new, more exciting gingerbread cookie. And any one of these is good enough to not only wow the family, but to become the go-to recipe for years to come.

Yes, there are classic gingerbread cookies on this list, but there are plenty of new gingerbread recipes featuring innovative flavors that you absolutely must try this year. The gingerbread Linzer cookies with dulce de leche centers, gingerbread cookie bars with white chocolate chips, and Nutella stuffed gingerbread cookies are some of the most incredible options on this roundup. There are also quite a few recipes featuring chocolate that everyone in your family will love—and probably polish right off. Some of our absolute favorites are the white chocolate gingerbread star cookies, chocolate chip gingerbread oatmeal cookies, and soft chocolate gingerbread cookies. Everyone will be feeling the holiday cheer when you're baking up batches of these beloved Christmas desserts.

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1

Christmas Light Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (3)

Arrange these sweet treats in a circle on a platter and they become a perfect centerpiece wreath!

Get the recipe.

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2

Hang-the-Stockings Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (5)

These iced gingerbread cookies — spiced with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and molasses — are not only delicious, but do double duty as shimmering ornaments.

Get the recipe.

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3

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pie

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (7)

There is only one word for this gingerbread cookie and oatmeal cream pie hybrid: Yes.

Get the recipe at Ambitious Kitchen.

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4

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (9)

It's a no-brainer that these chocolatey gingerbread cookies are a must-bake.

Get the recipe at Baker by Nature.

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5

Soft Gingerbread Cookies With Rum Glaze

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (11)

The rum glaze atop these ornate-looking gingerbread cookies is what the Christmas staple has been missing.

Get the recipe at The Cookie Rookie.

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6

Gingerbread Millionaire Bars

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (13)

Who knew millionaire bars could get any better? Ginger adds a whole new flavor that works perfectly in this dessert.

Get the recipe at Broma Bakery.

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7

Chocolate Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (15)

Thick chocolate ganache is sandwiched between two gingerbread cookies.

Get the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.

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8

Frosted Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (17)

Have your kids help out decorating these soft, chewy cookies. They'll especially love the tiny gingerbread men sprinkles.

Get the recipe at Baker by Nature.

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9

Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (19)

There's nothing like the classic version. This blogger writes that her recipe produces cookies that are crispy on the outside and soft in the inside, which is exactly how we like them.

Get the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.

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10

White Chocolate Gingerbread Star Cookies

White chocolate adds a sweet note to the spiced flavors in this treat. Feel free to add as much or as little as you'd like.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

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11

Gingerbread Linzer Cookies With Dulce de Leche Centers

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (23)

A homemade dulce de leche filling makes this dessert downright decadent. Each cookie is just oozing with ooey, gooey goodness.

Get the recipe at Broma Bakery.

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12

Soft Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (25)

Chocoholics will polish off a plate of these goodies in no time. The recipe is made with cocoa powder and each cookie is adorned with a chocolate star.

Get the recipe at SugarHero!.

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13

Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (27)

This classic, no-fail recipe will make perfect gingerbread cookies every single time.

Get the recipe at Gimme Some Oven.

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14

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (29)

These addicting goodies have a secret savory ingredient: black pepper!

Get the recipe at Wholefully.

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15

Gingerbread Cookie Bars with White Chocolate Chips

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (31)

These blondie-like bars only take 30 minutes to make.

Get the recipe at Celebrating Sweets.

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16

Favorite Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (33)

A healthier holiday dessert that doesn't lack flavor? We'll be making these all December long.

Get the recipe at Kristine's Kitchen.

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17

Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (35)

Baking thumbprint cookies is a must at Christmastime—especially when they're filled with spiced white chocolate.

Get the recipe at Swanky Recipes.

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18

Brown Butter Gingerbread Men

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (37)

Kids will have a blast in the kitchen decorating these colorful edible characters.

Get the recipe at Baker by Nature.

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19

Nutella Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (39)

Nothing makes a dessert melt in your mouth quite like a spoonful of Nutella in the middle.

Get the recipe at The Food Charlatan.

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20

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (41)

Use a variety of cookie cutters and decorations to customize this recipe to your family's festive likings.

Get the recipe at Bless This Mess.

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Reinvent Your Holiday Baking with These Gingerbread Cookie Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular Christmas cookie every year? ›

That's according to a new Google Trends report released Thursday. According to the data, sugar cookies, gingerbread and peanut butter blossoms are the most popular cookies in America.

How long will gingerbread cookies last? ›

With or without frosting, the gingerbread cookies will last up to three weeks at cool room temperature in an airtight container.

Can you eat out of date gingerbread? ›

Food that has passed its best before date is safe to eat. Best before should be considered a rough guide rather than a strict rule. There is no reason to throw away food that goes past its best before date, it is perfectly safe to eat and will often taste just as good.

Why is my gingerbread cookie dough so dry? ›

Not enough liquid

There are a few things you can do if your cookie dough is too dry and crumbly. First, try adding more liquid to the dough. This could be milk, water, or even just additional eggs. If that doesn't work, you could also try melting some butter and adding it to the dough.

What is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›

The chocolate chip cookie is far and away America's favorite cookie This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys the tasty treat. More than 53% of American adults prefer the cookies over the next most popular kind, peanut butter.

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? ›

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

Should gingerbread dough be chilled before baking? ›

Mistake #2: Not resting your dough

After the gingerbread is cut out, Lomas recommends putting it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to three days. Chilling the dough before it goes into a hot oven gives the butter a chance to firm up and reduces how much it spreads when baking.

Should you refrigerate gingerbread cookies? ›

(The cookies can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in airtight containers at room temperature.)

What does BBX mean on food? ›

Best before and use-by dates | Food Standards Agency.

When should I throw away my gingerbread house? ›

Depending on the size of the house, you may want to make a sturdier style of gingerbread, which isn't as tasty. But as long as the house is fresh, it can be eaten within a few days of being assembled. If it sits around for a week or more, it will be stale.

Will gingerbread house attract ants? ›

GingerBread House

The sweet smell of gingerbread and the warm shelter it provides can attract insects such as ants and co*ckroaches. Being careful where you store the gingerbread house can help prevent an infestation. Additionally, properly disposing of any leftovers by wrapping them in plastic wrap.

What happens if you don't chill gingerbread dough? ›

Forgetting to chill the dough.

It's tempting to want to roll out the dough as soon as it comes together, but let it have a little time to rest. Chilling it for at least two hours or overnight gives the ingredients a chance to absorb one another, making it a whole lot easier to roll out the dough without it cracking.

Why are my gingerbread cookies puffy? ›

Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough. That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.

Do gingerbread cookies harden as they cool? ›

Gingerbread Cookies are done when they are set and begin to brown slightly at the edges. They will harden further as they cool, so avoid overbaking so you don't end up with hard, crunchy gingerbread! Underbake slightly to achieve soft, slightly chewy gingerbread cookies.

What is America's favorite Christmas cookies? ›

Speaking of holiday baking, nearly half of the country has a favorite Christmas cookie. Among those who can make a single choice, frosted sugar cookies lead the list (32%), with gingerbread (12%) and chocolate chip (11%) rounding out the top three.

What is Santa Claus's favorite cookie? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious cookies. Santa himself lists these as his favorites, and he prefers them soft and gooey with lots of chocolate chips. If you decide to leave these out for him, make sure there's a glass of cold milk nearby!

What is the most loved cookie? ›

Chocolate chip cookies

What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one. Ever the crowd-pleaser, the chocolate chip cookie is renowned for its balance of richness and sweetness.

What are America's most loved cookies? ›

It's no surprise that chocolate chip cookies consistently rank as one of the most beloved treats in the United States.

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