Ava
15 Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookies That Taste Like Childhood
There is a specific smell that means Christmas to me: butter, molasses, and ginger warming up the whole house. It takes me straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen, standing on a chair to press cookie cutters into spiced dough. These old-fashioned gingerbread men are that recipe – deeply spiced, soft in the middle, crisp at the edges, and decorated with the kind of wobbly royal icing smiles that make everyone laugh. This is the cookie that built my childhood Christmases, and I think it deserves a spot in yours too.
If you are planning a whole holiday cookie table, browse my Christmas recipe hub for the full collection, from no-bake to healthy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic gingerbread flavor – warm, spiced, and deeply nostalgic
- Soft centers with lightly crisp edges, never hard or dry
- Simple pantry ingredients, no fancy equipment needed
- The perfect decorating project for kids, grandparents, and everyone between
- Makes about 24 cookies – plenty for sharing, gifting, and snacking
Short on time this season? Try my no-bake Christmas cookies for a zero-oven option, or balance the indulgence with my healthy Christmas cookies.
Ingredients
Makes about 24 cookies.
For the cookies:
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses
For the simple royal icing:
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Beat the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then the molasses, scraping down the bowl as you go. The mixture will look dark and glossy – that molasses is where all the old-fashioned flavor lives. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
Step 2: Mix, Chill, and Cut the Dough
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low just until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough in half, flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour – cold dough cuts cleanly and holds its shape in the oven. Roll one disk to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut out gingerbread men, stars, and trees. Gather the scraps, re-roll once, and keep cutting. Repeat with the second disk.
Step 3: Bake, Cool, and Decorate
Heat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Place the cutouts 1 inch apart and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look just slightly soft. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. For the icing, whisk the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth and thick enough to pipe. Fill a piping bag or zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off, and draw faces, buttons, and squiggles. Let the icing harden for 1 hour before stacking or packing.
Tips for Perfect Old-Fashioned Cookies
- Do not skip the chill. Warm gingerbread dough spreads into blobs; cold dough bakes into sharp, proud little men.
- Roll evenly to 1/4 inch. Thinner cookies bake up crisp; thicker ones stay cakey. Pick your favorite and keep it consistent.
- Pull them when the centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool and stay soft for days.
- Use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap – blackstrap is bitter and will overpower the spices.
- Re-roll scraps only once. Overworked dough gets tough, and nobody wants a tough gingerbread man.
Variations to Try
- Jam thumbprints: roll the dough into balls, press a thumbprint in each, and fill with raspberry jam before baking.
- Chocolate crinkles: swap the molasses for melted chocolate and roll the dough balls in powdered sugar for a crackled finish.
- Butter spritz trees: use a cookie press with the same spiced dough for delicate piped trees and stars.
- Orange spice: add 1 tablespoon of fresh orange zest to the dough for a bright, citrusy twist.
- Gingerbread house panels: roll the dough 1/8 inch thick, cut wall and roof shapes, and bake 12 minutes for sturdy building pieces.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Undecorated gingerbread keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks – the flavor actually deepens after a day or two. Once iced, store them in a single layer or with parchment between layers for up to 1 week. The raw dough freezes beautifully: wrap the disks tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling. Baked, undecorated cookies also freeze well for 2 months. I bake the cookies a week ahead and save the decorating for Christmas Eve – it turns into the best family activity of the season.
Nutrition
Approximate values: per cookie (1 of 24, undecorated): about 140 calories, 6 g fat, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 0.5 g fiber, 11 g sugar. These are estimates and will vary with your exact ingredients, cookie size, and icing.
Final Thoughts
Some recipes are just food, and some are time machines. These old-fashioned Christmas cookies are the second kind. Every bite of molasses and ginger carries the Christmases you remember and builds the ones your kids will remember. Bake a batch this weekend, decorate them badly on purpose, and pack a tin for someone you love. And if you want the whole holiday spread in one place, the Christmas recipe hub has you covered – including my no-bake Christmas cookies for the nights the oven is busy.
Love this recipe? Follow DermaSkinHub on Pinterest for more healthy holiday recipes, glowing-skin smoothies, and easy air fryer ideas.
