Vanilla Gingerbread Cookies

Oct 10, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cookies bars Vanilla: Extract Easy

Vanilla gingerbread cookies cut into stars and gingerbread people, some decorated with white icing, on parchment on a light w

Soft-centered, crisp-edged cut-out gingerbread cookies with molasses, warm spice and plenty of real vanilla. The dough rolls cleanly after a chill and holds its shape for decorating.

Prep 30 min

Cook 10 min

Cooling 2 hr 20 min

Total 3 hr

Yield 30 cookies

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

3.0 cups (375.0 g)all-purpose flour
1.0 tbsp (6.0 g)ground ginger
1 ½ tsp (4.0 g)ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (0.5 g)ground cloves
¼ tsp (0.5 g)ground nutmeg
¾ tsp (4.0 g)baking soda
½ tsp (3.0 g)fine sea salt
¾ cup (170.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (160.0 g)dark brown sugar, packed
1.0 (50.0 g)large egg
½ cup (170.0 g)unsulphured molasses
1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml)pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Beat the butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the molasses and vanilla, scraping the bowl.
Add the flour mixture on low speed in two parts, mixing just until no dry flour remains.
Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or until firm enough to roll.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll one disk between two sheets of parchment to 1/4 inch thick.
Cut out shapes, place them 1 inch apart on the sheets, and reroll the scraps once.
Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are firm and the centers look just set. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely before decorating.

Tips

Bake 8 minutes for soft cookies and 10 for crisp ones that hang well on a tree.
Rolling between parchment means no extra flour, so the cookies stay dark and tender.
Decorate with royal icing once the cookies are completely cool, or leave them plain with a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla gingerbread cookies?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 20 minutes to chill and rest. The recipe makes about 30 cookies (3-inch cutters).

How should I store vanilla gingerbread cookies?

Keep undecorated cookies in an airtight tin for up to 1 week; decorated cookies keep 2 weeks once the icing has dried hard.

Can I make vanilla gingerbread cookies ahead?

The dough keeps 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer; thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling. Baked, undecorated cookies freeze for 3 months.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract (7.5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Soft-centered, crisp-edged cut-out gingerbread cookies with molasses, warm spice and plenty of real vanilla. The dough rolls cleanly after a chill and holds its shape for decorating.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 30 servings this recipe makes.

127 Calories / serving

4.9g Fat

19.3g Carbs

1.6g Protein

9.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (30 servings): ~3810 cal · 147g fat · 579g carbs · 48g protein · 285g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.