What is the Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe?

(And Why These Are More Than Just Cookies)

Baking Through Grief

Losing my mom was one of the hardest seasons of my life. One day, in the middle of my grief, I asked myself: What’s one thing that always brought me comfort?

That’s when I thought of baking cookies with her.

So I pulled out an old recipe, passed down through my family, and started baking. These soft gingerbread cookies recipe helped me reconnect with sweet memories and shift my focus from pain to gratitude.

A Family Tradition: Simple, Sweet, and So Worth It

These gingerbread sugar cookies are gluten-free…

(though you’d never guess it)

…soft, spiced just right, and so fun to make.

They’re perfect for decorating gingerbread cookies with thick, colorful frosting and sprinkles. Even people who “don’t like gingerbread” love them!

And yes, this recipe calls for 7 cups of flour… so it’s a bit of a workout. But ohhh it’s worth it.

Especially when you’re making iced gingerbread cookies with the people you love. 💕

A Recipe to Make With Love

Whether you’re looking for unique Christmas cookies to gift, easy gingerbread cookie recipe options to bake with your kids, or just want to slow down and savor the season, this one’s for you.

Although this recipe isn’t so easy, it takes a bit of work.

Decorating these gingerbread cookies decorated is half the fun!

Get creative with different colors, funny faces, and sprinkle explosions.

We’ve even used this recipe for cookie decorating parties.

(You can find the full recipe with instructions further down this post.)

Finding Comfort in Baking

Life’s been heavy lately, and I’ve needed all the little joys I can find. If you’re going through a tough season too, here are three simple things that helped me feel a little more grounded:

🍪 Baking Grandma’s Gingerbread Cookies: More on this in a minute, but these cookies are seriously one of the best mood-boosting treats I’ve ever made.

✍️ Keeping a Gratitude Journal: Just jotting down a few blessings each day has helped shift my focus from what’s missing to what’s still good. (this is my favorite gratitude journal!)

🌿 Spending Time in Nature: After losing my mom, I felt like I was coming apart. But being outside, even just for a little while, brought a peace I didn’t expect. Putting your feet directly on the Earth is amazing! I love it so much that I use grounding products inside now… This is my favorite pillow cover and I only trust this company.

Favorite Time of Year

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year… the lights, the music, the kindness in the air.

And my mom? She used to sing Silver Bells to me whenever I felt down… even if it was the middle of July.

I miss her deeply. Some days I can focus on the good memories, and other days… it’s harder. But I keep trying.

This photo was the last selfie we took together before she got sick. She drove to Florida, and we only had a few hours. Looking back, those hours were everything.

It’s easy to take moments for granted. But if we stopped and imagined life without our people, maybe we’d treat each other with a little more grace.

My mom had the kindest heart, and I want to carry that forward.

These cookies? They’re not just delicious… they’re full of memories. And I hope they bring your kitchen the same comfort they bring mine.

What is the Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe?

This one! Ready to bake? Here’s the full recipe. ❤️

Grandma’s Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup organic light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 ½ cups (unsulphured) light molasses, entire jar *see notes
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 7 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour *see notes
• 1 ¾ tsp. xanthan gum (omit if your mix already has this)
  OR if you’re using regular gluten flour, leave the xanthan gum out
  (we make our own by combining organic white rice flour and organic brown rice flour)
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• Frosting (see below)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix shortening and sugar with a mixer until well blended.
3. Pour the entire jar of molasses into the mix and blend thoroughly.
4. Add water and spices (xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, allspice, ginger, cloves, cinnamon). Add 2 cups of flour, then mix with mixer. (if you mix this before you add the flour, the water may splash)
5. Add 1 more cup flour at a time (until you’ve added 5 cups total), and mix well.
6. Once the dough gets thick, switch to mixing by hand. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and knead (mix with hands) until fully combined. (you shouldn’t be able to see any white flour)
7. Roll out the dough (either immediately or after chilling) to ¼ inch thick. (If you roll out immediately, the dough will be softer)
   If you chill the dough, put plastic wrap on the dough so it’s touching the entire top of the dough. This will keep the dough fresh.
8. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place on a greased cookie sheet. Make sure the cookies aren’t touching each other.
9. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cookies are a light brown color and no imprint remains when touched lightly.
10. Cool completely before frosting.
11. Frosten cookies. (see frosting recipe below) Leave cookies out so frosting dries. (we put the frosting on the entire cookie, not just around the edges! And we make it thick)
12. Once the frosting is dry, add cookies to container, separating layers with waxed paper.

(Pro Tip: To keep cookies soft, store them in a tin with a slice of bread overnight! Separate the bread from the cookies with foil or waxed paper.)

Frosting

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbs. butter, softened
• 2 lb. bag confectionary sugar
  (we use this organic brand and we weigh it with our kitchen scale to make sure we have the right amount)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• Enough milk so frosting is spredable but still thick. (we use coconut milk)

Instructions:

1. Add butter and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix till creamy.
2. Add confectionary sugar and a little milk. Mix.
3. Keep adding small amounts of the milk and mix until frosting is thick but spreadable.
4. Separate frosting into different plates and add food coloring, if you like different colors.
5. Decorate cookies.

NOTES:

*We use grandma’s molasses with the yellow label-the whole jar

*If you make this with regular gluten flour, omit xanthan gum.

*Flour tip: Take out 7 butter knives. As you add each cup of flour, set one knife aside so you don’t miscount. Sounds silly, but trust me, with this much flour, it’s easy to lose track.

A Recipe With a Story

This recipe comes from my grandma’s old Betty Crocker Cooky Book from 1977…

…and it just so happens my mother-in-law used the same one, years before they ever met.

That’s how you know it’s a classic!

It’s one of those gingerbread cookies ideas that stands the test of time.

Now, full disclosure… these cookies aren’t the healthiest treat.

But they are a comfort food for the soul.

And as I’ve recently discovered, there’s no rule saying you can’t bake Christmas cookies year-round.

Here is the original recipe from the Betty Crocker Cooky book (above), BEFORE I made my modifications.

As you can see, the book is old and worn with lots of use (and lots of love) behind it.

AND I have my notes in the margin, for when I converted the recipe to gluten-free. 🙂

Comfort in Every Bite

There’s something sacred about making simple gingerbread cookies that bring back memories and create new ones at the same time. These cookies helped me process loss, celebrate love, and find joy again—one batch at a time.

So if you’re looking for the best gingerbread cookie recipe that’s rich in flavor and in meaning… this is it.

Let’s Connect

Have you ever baked something that brought back sweet memories? What’s your go-to comfort recipe?

Leave a comment below… especially if you try this one! And wherever you are, whatever season you’re in, I hope you find little ways to bring joy into your life… even if that means baking Christmas cookies decorated with wild icing and sprinkles in the middle of summer. 🎄🍪❤️

Until next time…