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With a soft, chewy texture and infused with classic warm flavors, these healthy gingerbread cookies are not only easy to make but also a delight to decorate.
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
Holiday season in our house means one thing: we’re knee-deep in baking and decorating cookies! We’ve got these healthy sugar cookies officially tagged for Santa, but let’s be real – we all snag more than a nibble.
Then, there’s the MVP – gingerbread cookies. The house smells like a holiday dream, and and getting everyone involved in making and decorating them is just pure joy.
These cookies are near and dear to our hearts, and we’re delighted to share the recipe with you because it truly is a gem.
Simple ingredients, easy to whip up, and the cookies themselves? Absolute perfection with that soft, chewy goodness and that signature gingerbread flavor.
Have fun decorating (or not) and enjoy with a glass of milk or a cup of this healthy hot chocolate!
And if you are in the mood for a cake, try this healthy gingerbread snack cake :).
Table of Contents
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- White whole wheat flour – Just a quick look at my baked goods, such as these healthy muffins for kids, and you’ll see that I adore using white whole wheat flour in my baking. It’s the same nutritionally as whole wheat flour but is lighter in texture and a little sweeter in flavor. You can also use all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
- Unsalted butter – helps make the cookies light and prevents them from becoming too dry or crumbly.
- Pure maple syrup – a great unrefined sugar alternative. You can also use honey, if desired.
- Molasses- look for unsulphured molasses and dark molasses for a rich, caramel-like flavor that complements the spices. I do not recommend blackstrap molasses as it is more intense and has a more bittersweet flavor. It also takes these homemade graham crackers to a new level too!
- Warm spices – ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves
- Egg yolk – makes the dough easier to work with and produces rich, soft, and chewy cookies.
- Vanilla extract
- Icing – you can use homemade or store-bought. Details below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream butter and honey. Beat on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 3: Shape the cookie dough into a flat disc and cover with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the dough is firm. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make it easier to work with. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Lightly sprinkle with a small amount of flour. Place the dough in the center and place a second sheet of parchment paper on top. Gently roll from the center outwards, using light, even pressure and turning the dough occasionally to maintain an even thickness, about 1/4-1/3 inch is ideal.
Step 4: Use gingerbread cookie cutter or any of your favorite cutter to cut out shapes and position them closely together on the dough to minimize waste. Peel away the unused dough from around the shapes, and then transfer the entire parchment paper with the cut-out shapes to the cookie sheet.
Step 5: Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden brown. In the meantime, you can re-roll the leftover dough scraps (may need to refrigerate again if too soft) and cut out more shapes. Repeat until you’ve used up all the dough.
Step 6: Remove from the oven (they might seem under-baked but they’re not!) and cool for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy as is or have fun decorating!
Simple Gingerbread Icing
All you need are powdered sugar, vanilla, a little bit of milk. I like to whisk all the ingredients in a liquid measuring cup and pour into a squeeze bottle (or a piping bag) for the kids to easily decorate!
Alternatively, you can grab any of your favorite royal icing from the store for convenience.
Tips for Success
- Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll out and cut into shapes.
- Cut as close together so you will get as many cookies out of your dough as possible.
- Peel away the unused dough from around the shapes rather than lifting them from the parchment paper and onto the baking sheet. This prevents the shapes from getting distorted.
- Icing – if too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more milk.
Storage Suggestions (In the Fridge and Freezer)
In the refrigerator:
You can store both decorated and non-decorated cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days at room temperature or a week in the refrigerator.
For decorated cookies, place them in a single layer in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper.
In the freezer:
You can either freeze the dough by shaping into a flat disc and wrapping in plastic wrap. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bring to room temperature for at least an hour.
OR
freeze baked cookies. While you can freeze both decorated and non-decorated, I recommend the latter. Flash freezing method will work best, just like when freezing muffins, as it prevent the cookies from sticking together and allows you to grab only the amount you need.
More Healthy Cookies to Try
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Healthy Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour (130g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Icing
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk of choice (more if needed)
Instructions
- With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream butter, maple syrup, and molasses. Beat on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc and cover with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the dough is firm. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make it easier to work with.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Lightly sprinkle with a small amount of flour. Place the dough in the center and place a second sheet of parchment paper on top. Gently roll from the center outwards, using light, even pressure and turning the dough occasionally to maintain an even thickness, about 1/4-1/3 inch is ideal.
- Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes and position them closely together on the dough to minimize waste. Peel away the unused dough from around the shapes, and then transfer the entire parchment paper with the cut-out shapes to the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden brown. In the meantime, you can re-roll the leftover dough scraps (may need to refrigerate again if too soft) and cut out more shapes. Repeat until you've used up all the dough.
- Remove from the oven (they might seem under-baked but they're not!) and cool for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy as is or have fun decorating!
Icing
- In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine all the ingredients. Stir well to combine. If the icing is too thick, add an additional teaspoon of milk one at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Notes
- Cut as close together so you will get as many cookies out of your dough as possible.
- Peel away the unused dough from around the shapes rather than lifting them from the parchment paper and onto the baking sheet. This prevents the shapes from getting distorted.
- You can store both decorated and non-decorated cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days at room temperature or a week in the refrigerator.
After loving your sugar cookie recipe I made these too and again was so happy with the result! They’re delicious and with the icing it’s the perfect amount of sweet. My kids enjoyed them too. Thank you for the great small batch recipe!
Oh I’m so glad to hear that!! Thank you for sharing!
This was a hit with both my 14 month old and my husband who is not a gingerbread cookie fan. Thank you for a great recipe!
Makes me SO happy to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Min,
Is there any alternative for molasses? Would love to try these out!!
What brand of white whole wheat flour do you use? I am struggling to find white whole wheat. Seems like most brands are from red wheat berries.
Hi! I use the King Arthur white whole wheat flour!