Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies: Best Recipe

Discover the best soft gingerbread cookie recipe – a simple and delightful treat that brings holiday joy with every bite.

Spice up your baking game with these soft gingerbread cookies made effortlessly from a box cake mix! Rediscover the joy of holiday baking with this easy gingerbread cookie recipe, which is excellent for sharing. Get ready to fill your kitchen with gingerbread’s warm, comforting aroma! These delicious soft gingerbread cookies are a perfect festive Christmas dessert everyone will adore.

Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies: Best Recipe

This recipe was so, so tasty. If you are a gingerbread cookie fan, you will love this easy recipe for making soft gingerbread cookies.

Gingerbread extract is quite potent, so the gingerbread flavor hits you right between the eyes; the perfect gingerbread flavor in the perfect cookie! These gingerbread cookies are very soft and fall apart so easily. The frosting is soft and smooth, and the brown sugar adds a pop of sweetness that is just divine. The cookies are excellent without the buttercream frosting, but the addition of the “gingerbread” frosting makes them a showstopper for the holiday season.

Looking for a new addition to your holiday cookie tray? These are the perfect holiday cookies that are also impressive for cookie exchanges. The best part is they are easy cookies to make. These really are the best soft gingerbread cookies – your friends and family will adore these delicious soft cookies.

While traditional gingerbread men made with cookie cutters and roll-out dough are fabulous; you can elevate your holiday baking game with these easy, soft gingerbread cookies made from a secret ingredient: cake mix! Enjoy the delightful flavors of ginger and molasses in every bite.

Bake in joy for your friends and family with this irresistible gingerbread cookie guide. If you try this festive Christmas cookie recipe, let us know how it went and if you agree that this is the best gingerbread cookie recipe.

Why You Will Love This Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

● Box cake mix is remixed into a deliciously creamy, moist, and festive holiday cookie recipe
● They are delicious to serve from the beginning of fall through spring. These cookies are perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s parties and cookie trays.
● The brown sugar and gingerbread spice combine with the vanilla of the cake mix to create an out-of-the-world flavor
● You can even make them for an edible Christmas gift or cookie exchange party

Why Did You Add Buttermilk?

The reason buttermilk is added to this soft gingerbread cookie recipe is that buttermilk tenderizes the gluten, which makes the cookies extra moist and soft. The acidity in buttermilk can react with baking soda, acting as a leavening agent. This chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide gas, which helps the cookies rise and become lighter and more airy. The fat content in buttermilk can impart a slightly creamy quality to cookies, making them smoother and richer. These qualities really help your festive holiday cookies stand out above the rest!

What makes gingerbread cookies hard or soft?

● The texture of gingerbread cookies depends on the ingredients and the baking process.
● The type and amount of fat used in the recipe will affect the texture. For example, soft gingerbread cookies often contain more butter or oil. In this recipe, oil and buttermilk is used.
● The type and quantity of sugar used affect the texture. More sugar contributes to a softer texture, while less sugar can make cookies crisper.
● Molasses or honey add moisture and chewiness to gingerbread cookies.
● Baking powder and baking soda influence the rise and texture of the cookies. More leavening produces softer cookies.

Tips and variations for making this easy soft gingerbread cookie recipe:

● You can use Gingerbread box cake mix and omit the spices and extract if you want a further shortcut. However, I used a vanilla cake mix and added the gingerbread spices myself because it adds a depth of flavor to these homemade gingerbread cookies.
● A Betty Crocker vanilla cake mix was used to make these gingerbread cookies and doctored for flavor.
● If you cannot find gingerbread extract or gingerbread spice in your local grocery store, make your own!
● For best results, chill your cookie dough before baking. This particular recipe produces a softer cookie dough than other ones. For this reason, it is much easier to work with it after it is chilled for 30 minutes. They also bake better and are less likely to overspread.
● This dough is very wet and sticky. You can use a cookie scoop, but a simple spoon that was lightly wiped with cooking spray to scoop the dough and get it onto that parchment-covered baking sheet works better. Spray a paper towel with cooking spray, then just wipe the spoon with it. You will need to repeat this process several times while dropping the dough on the cookie sheet.
● Make sure these cookies have enough space so the gingerbread cookie dough does not spread into each other when they bake. This used two large sheet pans for the 12-14 cookies total.
● It is very important to leave at least 2 inches between the cookie batter; they really do spread a lot.
● When you first take the cookies out of the oven, they are very, very puffy, almost an inch high. They flatten the minute they are taken out of the oven and start to cool.
● The soft gingerbread cookies only took about 20 minutes to cool completely.
● This vanilla buttercream frosting recipe was used and whisked with brown sugar and gingerbread spice, but you can use any frosting flavor. Last year, I made these with chocolate frosting and they were delicious, too.
● You can use canned vanilla frosting and doctor it if you prefer not to make frosting from scratch.
● I have not used royal icing on these easy gingerbread cookies, but you can if you like (let me know how you liked them!)
● The circular frosting piping is reminiscent of how Crumbl cookies frost some of their cookies. Plain vanilla buttercream frosting also works.
● Light brown sugar is used in baking these cookies, but you can use dark brown sugar, a mixture of the two, or light brown frosting to decorate the top of the frosting.
● If you would like toppings for these cookies, try brown sugar, sprinkles, sanding sugar, decorator sugar, drizzled white chocolate, drizzled dark chocolate, a pinch of warm spices such as ground ginger, ground cloves, or gingerbread spice. Whatever toppings you feel will make this the perfect holiday cookie for your family!

If you enjoy Christmas cookie recipes, you will love these easy recipes:

● Spiced Molasses Cookies Recipe
● Stackable Christmas Trees Cookie Recipe
● How to Make Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Recipe
● Easy Snow Globe Cookies Recipe

If you love gingerbread, you will love these delicious gingerbread recipes:

● Gingerbread Cheesecake Recipe
● Gingerbread Coffee Cake Recipe
● Gingerbread Fudge Recipe

Ingredients for these Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies: Best Recipe:

Ingredients for the cookies:

● 1 Box of Vanilla Cake Mix (Betty Crocker was used)
● 2 Eggs
● ½ cup Vegetable Oil
● ¼ cup Buttermilk
● ½ teaspoon Gingerbread Extract
● ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
● 1 Tablespoon Gingerbread Spice

Ingredients for the Frosting:

● 24 ounces Vanilla Frosting
● 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
● 1 teaspoon Gingerbread Spice

Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies Mise en Place:

● Stand-up Mixer (paddle attachment, whisk attachment, large bowl, etc.) or Hand Mixer (electric mixer)
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Rubber Spatula
● Plastic Wrap
● Sheet Pans or Cookie Sheets (baking sheets)
● Parchment Paper
● Spoon
● Cooking Spray
● Spatula
● Pastry Piping Bag
● Medium Size Round Hole Piping Tip

Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies: Best Recipe Directions:

1. In the large mixing bowl of your stand mixer, combine one box of cake mix with the eggs and oil mix on low speed until combined.

2. Add in the buttermilk and gingerbread extract; mix until smooth.

3. Mix in the gingerbread spice and brown sugar.

4. Cover the gingerbread dough with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.

6. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
7. Use a spoon to make your portions and set them on your cookie sheet. Tip: This dough is very wet and sticky. Use a simple spoon that was lightly wiped with cooking spray to scoop the dough and get it onto that parchment-covered baking sheet. Spray a paper towel with cooking spray, then wipe the spoon with it. You will need to repeat this process several times throughout the process of dropping the dough on the cookie sheet.

8. Make sure these gingerbread cookies have enough space on the baking sheets so they do not spread into each other when they bake. Space them a minimum of 2″ apart. Two large baking sheets are used, resulting in 12-14 cookies in total.
9. Bake the gingerbread cookies in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 12-15 minutes.

10. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to rest at room temperature for approximately 20 minutes.
11. Chill the gingerbread cookies for 30 minutes before frosting.

12. Whisk in a teaspoon of gingerbread spice and 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the buttercream vanilla frosting.

13. To make a Crumbl-style swirl, use a round hole piping nozzle with a medium-sized opening to fill your frosting bag.

14. If you want to sprinkle some brown sugar, sanding sugar, or sprinkles on one of your soft gingerbread cookies, do so before the frosting dries.

15. Store for up to three days frosted in an airtight container.

Yield: 1

Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies: Best Recipe

Print

Easy Soft Gingerbread Cookies: Best Recipe. Discover the best soft gingerbread cookie recipe - a simple and delightful treat that brings holiday joy with every bite.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients for the cookies:

• 1 Box of Vanilla Cake Mix (Betty Crocker was used)
• 2 Eggs
• ½ cup Vegetable Oil
• ¼ cup Buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon Gingerbread Extract
• ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Gingerbread Spice

Ingredients for the Frosting:

• 24 ounces Vanilla Frosting
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Gingerbread Spice

Instructions

1. In the large mixing bowl of your stand mixer, combine one box of cake mix with the eggs and oil mix on low speed until combined.
2. Add in the buttermilk and gingerbread extract; mix until smooth.
3. Mix in the gingerbread spice and brown sugar.
4. Cover the gingerbread dough with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
7. Use a spoon to make your portions and set them on your cookie sheet. Tip: This dough is very wet and sticky. Use a simple spoon that was lightly wiped with cooking spray to scoop the dough and get it onto that parchment-covered baking sheet. Spray a paper towel with cooking spray, then wipe the spoon with it. You will need to repeat this process several times while dropping the dough on the cookie sheet.
8. Make sure these gingerbread cookies have enough space on the baking sheets so they do not spread into each other when they bake. Space them a minimum of 2" apart. Two large baking sheets are used, resulting in 12-14 cookies in total.
9. Bake the gingerbread cookies in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 12-15 minutes.
10. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to rest at room temperature for approximately 20 minutes.
11. Chill the gingerbread cookies for 30 minutes before frosting.
12. Whisk in a teaspoon of gingerbread spice and 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the buttercream vanilla frosting.
13. To make a Crumbl-style swirl, use a round hole piping nozzle with a medium-sized opening to fill your frosting bag.
14. If you want to sprinkle some brown sugar, sanding sugar, or sprinkles on one of your soft gingerbread cookies, do so before the frosting dries.
15. Store for up to three days frosted in an airtight container.
    

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

13

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 475Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 412mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 0gSugar: 55gProtein: 3g

Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.

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