If you are looking to bake over the holidays, odds are you would like to find that perfect Gingerbread Recipe. You know, the one that’s not too sweet, not too spicy, and makes you think of all the Christmases of your childhood? The smell of gingerbread baking in the house is a surefire way to get everyone into the Christmas Spirit, so we’ve gathered up a few of the absolute best Gingerbread Recipes for you to try over the holidays. We’re sure you’ll find one that’s perfect for you.

We will start off with the domestic queen, Martha Stewart. She’s well known for all her amazing and simple cookie recipes, so making  following this traditional Gingerbread Recipe should be easy.

Gingerbread Cookies

This is just one of that many, many amazing cookie recipes Martha Stewart has shared over the years, she has several cookbooks and magazines on the theme:
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Gingerbread Cookies

“These traditional spice cookies are just right for the holidays.” – Martha Stewart

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour ((spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling)
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • Decorating sugar or sprinkles ((optional))
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses and egg. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients; mix just until a dough forms. Place dough on floured plastic wrap; pat into an 8-inch square. Wrap well; chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time (rewrap and refrigerate other half), place dough on floured parchment or waxed paper; roll out 1/8 inch thick, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Freeze dough (on paper) until firm, about 20 minutes.
  3. Loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes, and transfer to baking sheets. Decorate with sugar or sprinkles, as desired.
  4. Bake until firm and edges just begin to darken, 10 to 18 minutes, depending on size. Cool completely on baking sheets.

This recipe makes 3 dozen medium cookies. We used star cookie cutters for the shapes. For the neatest edges, dip cutters in flour before cutting out each cookie.

 

While the most traditional gingerbread can harden quite firm (perfect for making houses!) sometimes you want something a bit more chewy. The below recipe from Betty Crocker offers just that!

Best-Ever Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

One of the most trusted names in Cookie Recipes, their Christmas-Themed cookbooks (especially the classic Cooky Book!) are must-haves for Holiday Baking:
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Best-Ever Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Fill your house with the best-ever aroma with spicy gingerbread cookies.

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (, softened)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher ((coarse) salt)
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2/3 cup granulated or coarse sugar
  1. In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and molasses. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  2. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat. In small bowl, place granulated sugar. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. On cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.
  3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until set and soft in center. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Store tightly covered up to 1 week.

 

Sometimes there’s nothing better than a crunchy, snappy, Gingersnap. Have a look at the recipe below from Food-Network star, Author of “The Sprinkles Baking Book” and  cupcake visionary Candace Nelson.

Gingersnap Cookies

 

Gingersnap Cookies

Though she’s founder of Sprinkles, Candace Nelson knows more than just cupcakes and ice cream. The pastry chef shares an exclusive recipe with Montage Magazine for gingersnap cookies, perfect for the holiday season.

  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon finely ground fresh black pepper
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (, slightly softened)
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons molasses (, preferably robust)
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • ¼ cup raw sugar (, such as Sugar In The Raw)
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, for 1-2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and beat until incorporated, 1 minute. Add the molasses and grated ginger and beat until just combined. Reduce heat to medium, add in the dry mixture, and beat until incorporated. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place the raw sugar in a shallow baking dish. Two teaspoons at a time, roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in Raw Sugar to coat. Place on prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Bake until browed around the edges, but still slightly soft in center, 25 minutes.

  3. Cool completely on cookie sheets (cookies will harden as they cool).

 

Next we have my go-to Christmas Recipe fella, Jamie Oliver. He’s got a Gingerbread Recipe that is fun for the whole family. You can use this dough with any cookie cutters you have on hand, and decorate with any icing (even store-bought is fine, we won’t judge).

Gingerbread People

Gingerbread Recipe People Jamie Oliver

If you don’t have it already, you absolutely must get Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook.

Gingerbread People

“Kids will love making, decorating and eating these biscuits – but let’s face it, more the eating! They can either be given as gifts, or used to decorate the tree. Make things more fun with a variety of cutters. ” Jamie Oliver

  • 300 g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 125 g unsalted butter
  • 100 g soft light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons golden syrup
  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4 and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. In a large bowl combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the spices.
  2. Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, then add it to the dry ingredients. Stir in until it forms a stiff dough, then cut it in half.
  3. Transfer the paper from the baking sheets to a work surface and place a portion of the dough on each. Roll out to 5mm thick, then cut out directly on the paper, leaving a 2cm gap between each. Save the cuttings to make more people, or round ginger biscuits.
  4. Carefully lift the papers back onto the baking sheets and bake the gingerbread in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
  5. Leave to cool on the sheet for a few minutes – if you want to hang them as decorations, now is the time to pierce a hole through the top of each with a skewer – then move to a wire rack.
  6. Once cool, ice the gingerbread men and decorate with sprinkles, sweets and edible glitter.

 

Christmas can be a tricky time for people on special diets, or with food intolerances, so I’ve included a fantastic Low-Carb & Gluten Free Gingerbread Recipe option from AllDayIDreamAboutFood.

Classic Gingerbread Men
(Low-Carb & Gluten Free)

Gingerbread Recipe - Classic Low Carb Gluten Free

Classic Gingerbread Men (Low-Carb & Gluten Free)

Classic Gingerbread Recipe for cookies made low carb and gluten-free. Perfect for decorating with your kids and giving as a healthy holiday gift. By Carolyn of AllDayIDreamAboutFood

  • 4 cups almond flour ((Honeyville))
  • 1 cup Swerve Sweetener
  • 1/4 cup Coconut flour
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup Kelapo coconut oil (, melted)
  • 3 tbsp molasses
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

ROYAL ICING

  • 1/2 lb powdered Swerve Sweetener
  • 1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp arrowroot starch OR 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water ((more if needed to thin out))
  1. For the cookies, preheat oven to 275F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and cloves.
  3. Stir in eggs, coconut oil, molasses and vanilla extract until dough comes together.
  4. Divide dough in half and turn out first half onto a large piece of parchment paper. Top with another piece of parchment and roll out out about 1/4 inch thick.
  5. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes and gently loosen and lift with an offset spatula. Place onto prepared baking sheets.
  6. Gather up scraps and reroll until too little is left to roll out. Repeat with second half of dough.
  7. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 5 minutes on pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. For the royal icing, in a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sweetener, meringue powder and arrowroot starch or xanthan gum.
  9. Add water and stir until smooth. Add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
  10. Pipe icing onto cooled cookies and let set 30 minutes or longer.
  11. *For crisper cookies, bake at 225F for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. They will crisp up as they cool

 

Hopefully you’ve been able to find a Gingerbread Recipe that suits your tastes, from all of the options above. I’m definitely going to try the Chewy cookies this year!

Please feel free to share your own Gingerbread Recipe on our Forum, or in the comments below!