It’s gingerbread cookie season, and I am so excited to share two amazing gingerbread cookie recipes with you today. If you love that warm spice and chewy texture, you’re in for a real treat with these festive gingerbread cookie ideas.
Whether you like your cookies soft and gooey inside or topped with a sweet, zesty glaze, I’ve got you covered. These recipes are perfect for holiday baking, gifting, or just a cozy night in for yourself.
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Caramel Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
These gingerbread cookies hide a delightful surprise inside: a gooey caramel center. They are soft, perfectly spiced, and simply irresistible for any sweet moment.
You will love how the warm spices blend with the sweet, melted caramel. This is a special holiday cookie idea.
Key Ingredients & Gingerbread Cookie Tips
- Soft Caramels: Use individually wrapped soft caramels. Cutting them in half or quarters can make them easier to enclose inside the cookie dough.
- Chilling the Dough: Don’t skip chilling your gingerbread cookie dough. It prevents spreading in the oven and makes it much easier to handle when you’re stuffing the caramel.
What You Need for Caramel Gingerbread
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 24 soft caramels, unwrapped
⏱️ Time: 40 minutes prep, 12 minutes bake🍽️ Yields: About 2 dozen cookies
How to Make Caramel Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Wrap the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Stuff and Shape Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take a small piece of the chilled gingerbread dough, about 1 ½ tablespoons. Flatten it into a disc in your hand. Place one caramel in the center of the dough. Carefully wrap the dough around the caramel, making sure it is fully sealed, and roll it into a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and caramels.
Step 3: Bake and Cool
Place the stuffed cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just set but the centers are still soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The caramel will be very hot!
📝 Final Note
Store these caramel gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They are also wonderful slightly warmed!
Cinnamon Iced Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
These classic gingerbread cookies get a bright, sweet finish with a simple cinnamon icing. They are perfectly spiced and so pretty, making them a fantastic holiday favorite.
You can cut these into any fun shapes you like and drizzle or spread the icing for a festive look.
Key Ingredients & Icing Tips
- Fresh Spices Matter: For the best gingerbread flavor, make sure your ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are fresh. Older spices lose their strong aroma and taste.
- Icing Consistency: When making the cinnamon icing, add milk slowly until you get a consistency that is thick enough to coat a spoon but still flows smoothly for drizzling or spreading.
What You Need for Iced Gingerbread
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the Icing:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
⏱️ Time: 35 minutes prep, 10 minutes bake🍽️ Yields: About 2.5 dozen cookies
How to Make Cinnamon Iced Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: Make the Gingerbread Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together until light. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a soft, uniform dough forms. Wrap the dough and chill it for at least 1 hour.
Step 2: Roll, Cut, and Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place the gingerbread cookies about 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are firm. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Prepare and Apply Icing
While the gingerbread cookies cool, prepare the cinnamon icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and ground cinnamon until smooth. Add more milk if you need a thinner icing, or more powdered sugar if it’s too runny. Once the cookies are fully cool, drizzle or spread the cinnamon icing over them. Let the icing set completely before stacking.
📝 Final Note
Once the icing has hardened, store these gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They make lovely gifts!
