Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
The Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (Soft, Crispy Edges & Perfect for Christmas)
If you've never been a fan of traditional gingerbread men, you're definitely not alone. While I absolutely love the warm, comforting flavours of ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice, I've never been keen on the crisp, snappy texture of classic gingerbread biscuits. That's exactly why I created these chewy gingerbread cookies.
Think of everything you love about a bakery-style chocolate chip cookie—soft centres, crisp edges and a wonderfully chewy texture—but infused with all the nostalgic flavours of Christmas. These cookies are rich with warming spices, beautifully buttery, and have just enough caramel sweetness from brown sugar and stem ginger syrup to make them completely irresistible.
If you're a chocolate lover, these cookies are also fantastic with 150g of chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chunks folded through the dough. The slight bitterness of dark chocolate pairs perfectly with the sweet spices.
Don't let the photos fool you—these cookies have crisp golden edges, soft chewy centres, and taste exactly like Christmas in every bite.
Makes: 12–16 cookies
Ingredients
- 125g softened salted butter
- 50g soft light brown sugar
- 50g soft dark brown sugar
- 125g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp syrup from a jar of stem ginger
- 275g plain flour
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
Optional:
- 150g dark chocolate chunks or chopped dark chocolate
How to Make the Best Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
1. Cream the butter and sugars
Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat the softened butter with the caster sugar, light brown sugar and dark brown sugar until the mixture becomes pale, light and fluffy.
2. Add the wet ingredients
Beat in the egg followed by the stem ginger syrup, ground ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice until everything is fully incorporated.
3. Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until a soft cookie dough forms.
If you're adding chocolate, gently fold in the chopped dark chocolate at this stage.
4. Chill the dough
Cover the bowl with cling film or transfer the dough to an airtight container and chill for 30–60 minutes.
This step helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and gives them their thick, chewy texture.
5. Prepare for baking
Preheat your oven to 170°C (fan) and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
Roll the dough into 50–60g balls, placing them around 3–4 inches apart as they'll spread while baking.
6. Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
The centres should look slightly puffed but just beginning to settle—this is the secret to perfectly chewy cookies.
7. Cool
Remove the tray from the oven and leave the cookies to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Resist moving them too early as they'll continue cooking from the residual heat.
Storage Tips
These gingerbread cookies stay wonderfully chewy for several days.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
- Alternatively, roll the cookie dough into balls before freezing.
Once portioned, place the dough balls into a zip-top freezer bag.
- Refrigerator: Up to 3 weeks
- Freezer: Up to 3 months
Bake straight from frozen—simply add 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Top Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Cookies
- Don't overbake them—the centres should still look slightly underdone when they come out of the oven.
- Chilling the dough is essential for thick, bakery-style cookies.
- Weigh each cookie dough ball for evenly sized cookies that bake consistently.
- Use good-quality ground spices for the richest flavour.
- Dark chocolate adds a delicious contrast to the sweet spices without overpowering them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these gingerbread cookies ahead of time?
Absolutely! The dough actually improves after resting, making it ideal for preparing a day or two before baking.
Why are my cookies hard?
They're most likely overbaked. Remove them when the edges are set but the centres still look slightly soft. They'll finish cooking on the baking tray.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes! Freeze the dough balls for up to three months and bake directly from frozen.
What chocolate works best?
Dark chocolate is my favourite because it balances the sweetness beautifully, but milk chocolate also works if you prefer a sweeter cookie.
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