• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Start here
  • Baking 101
  • Recipes
  • Shop

The Bake School

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start here
  • Baking 101
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start here
    • Baking 101
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Cookies

    Published on: December 19, 2017 by Janice Lawandi; Updated on: November 30, 2021 Leave a Comment

    Easy gingerbread cookies (slice and bake)

    132 shares
    • Facebook27
    • Yummly
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Why slice-and-bake gingerbread?

    There are so many Christmas cookie recipes that you can bake, and some are more challenging or demanding than others. The trouble is that the holidays are hectic, and you may not have the time, the patience, or the energy to roll out disk after disk of cookie dough to cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Cue slice-and-bake cookies.

    Slice-and-bake cookies, also known as icebox cookies allow you to easily produce hundreds of cookies without breaking a sweat. The beauty of this type of cookie is that the recipe is just like rolled out cookie doughs, but the dough is shaped into logs that are easy to store, wrapped tightly. You can make slice-and-bake cookie dough months ahead and store it in the freezer.

    Ingredients to make easy gingerbread cookies measured out.

    What are slice-and-bake gingerbread cookies made of

    If you want to make these easy gingerbread cookies, you will need the following ingredients:

    • butter, preferably unsalted butter because you will add salt to the dough, but if you have salted, it will work. Just adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly, otherwise your cookies may be too salty
    • light brown sugar and granulated sugar, the brown sugar will add flavour, while the granulated sugar will contribute to the texture of the cookies
    • molasses, specifically Fancy molasses or baking molasses. Do not use blackstrap molasses, which is too bitter for this recipe
    • large eggs, don't use smaller eggs because your cookie dough may be too dry and your cookie dough won't roll out nicely, but don't use extra large eggs because they could cause the cookie dough to puff too much as it bakes, leading to a more cake-y cookie or a spread out cookie.
    • all-purpose flour is needed to bind all the ingredients together and give the cookies structure. If you don't use enough flour, your cookies may spread too much as they bake
    • ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are added to the dough to make these cookies very flavourful—these are the usual spices in gingerbread, though some may add anise or even ground pepper
    • salt is really important to balance out the sweet molasses flavour. Don't skip it. I like to use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt, but table salt will work, though the cookies will be saltier and you may want to halve the salt in that case.
    Rolling logs of gingerbread cookie dough in coarse turbinado sugar to coat the outside to give the cookies crunchy edges.

    Type of molasses and substitutions

    In this recipe, we are baking with Fancy molasses (which you can find on Amazon), which is sometimes called baking molasses or original molasses in the US (available on Amazon). Mild molasses also works.

    Another option worth exploring would be black Treacle, which I used in these soft gingerbread cookies. Lyle's Black Treacle is very popular in Great Britain and it's used to bake instead of molasses. You can also order it on Amazon.

    Do not use blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses is very dark and has a more bitter taste, whereas Fancy molasses has a milder taste that is more suited for Christmas cookies.

    Slicing a log of cookie dough to make slice-and-bake gingerbread cookies.

    Ways to jazz up slice-and-bake cookies

    Slice-and-bake cookies can seem "boring" but there are so many ways to make them special:

    1. Roll the logs of cookie dough in a coarse sugar like turbinado or a white or coloured sanding sugar: these types of sugar don't melt so they add sparkle to the edges and a crunchy texture that people love.
    2. Roll logs of cookie dough in chopped nuts: the nuts will toast in the oven as the cookies bake, adding so much flavour and giving them a rustic look
    3. Glaze the baked cookies with a royal icing or a simpler lemon icing (made from icing sugar and lemon juice). This type of glaze will harden and allows you to add sprinkles before the icing sets.
    4. Dip in melted chocolate: based on these ginger cookies with white chocolate, we know that white chocolate and ginger go well together, so why not dip these easy gingerbread cookies in white chocolate? You won't regret it! Dark chocolate also works too!
    A sheet pan with ginger coins ready to be baked.A sheet pan of freshly baked ginger coin cookies.

    Keeping gingerbread soft

    These gingerbread when freshly baked may seem a little firm the day they are baked, but once you transfer them to a storage container they will soften. To speed up the process and/or to keep them soft, you can add a marshmallow to the storage container. Actually, the tricks for keeping a container of brown sugar moist are the same as the tricks for keeping cookies soft, which means you can add a marshmallow, a piece of white sandwich bread, a slice of apple, or a moistened terra cotta disk to keep these ginger cookies soft.

    A sheet pan of gingerbread cookie coins with crunchy turbinado edges.

    Other gingerbread recipes and alternatives

    If you still prefer to roll and cut out gingerbread people, great! Here's my fave recipe for classic gingerbread cookie cutouts and also a matcha gingerbread cookie variation. Simple sugar cookies are also always a hit, whether you feel like decorating or not, and feel free to modify them to make spiced sugar cookies! So many cookie options if you want to use those Christmas cookie cutters in your stash.

    A plate of round gingerbread cookies with crunchy turbinado sugar edges served with a cup of coffee.

    Here's a recipe for gingerbread "coins", basically gingerbread cookies that are slice-and-bake. This way, you can make the dough ahead and slice and bake later. These slice-and-bake gingerbread cookies have a really festive flavour from the fancy molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Rolling the logs of cookie dough in turbinado sugar gives a lovely crunch to the edges of each cookie.

    A plate of round gingerbread cookies with crunchy turbinado sugar edges served with a cup of coffee.

    📖 Recipe

    A plate of round gingerbread cookies with crunchy turbinado sugar edges served with a cup of coffee.

    Easy gingerbread cookies (slice and bake)

    AuthorAuthor : Janice Lawandi
    These easy gingerbread cookies are a twist on the classic, but in slice-and-bake format to make your life easier! Make the dough ahead of time, then slice and bake when you are ready for cookies!
    No ratings yet
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 13 minutes mins
    Total Time 33 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 85 cookies
    Calories 30 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
    • 15 mL ground cinnamon
    • 3.75 mL ground ginger
    • 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
    • 2.5 mL ground nutmeg
    • 0.625 mL ground cloves
    • 115 grams unsalted butter room termperature
    • 100 grams light brown sugar
    • 50 grams granulated sugar
    • 30 mL Fancy molasses
    • 1 large egg(s)
    • 5 mL pure vanilla extract
    • Turbinado sugar lots

    Instructions
     

    • Whisk together the flour, salt, and spices. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the molasses, the egg, and the vanilla, and beat everything together for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    • Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl, mixing on low until everything is evenly combined and you have a soft dough.
    • Divide the dough into three and roll each dough into a log of about 8-inches long. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
    • Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Just before baking, remove one log of dough from the fridge, unwrap it and roll log into a shallow plate of turbinado to coat sides.
    • Slice cookies fairly thin (¼ inch) and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes.
    • Bake until the edges begin to brown a little, about 13 minutes. Repeat with remaining logs of dough.

    Notes

    Calories calculated per cookie

    Nutrition

    Calories: 30kcal
    Give backIf you enjoy the free content on this website, buy me a pound of butter to say thanks!
    slice-and-bake gingerbread cookies similar to speculoos cookies

    Adapted from Bon Appétit's "Speculoos buttons" recipe.

    More Cookie Recipes

    • Mini Eggs cookies cooling on a wire rack.
      Easy Mini Eggs Cookies
    • A plate of chocolate shortbread cookies that are dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed freeze-dried raspberries.
      Chocolate shortbread cookies
    • Homemade alfajores cookies on plates served with coffee.
      Alfajores
    • Chocolate chip cookies with pecans cooled on a rack being served on black plates with glasses of milk.
      Chocolate chip cookies with pecans
    132 shares
    • Facebook27
    • Yummly
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Baking resources

  • Baking conversion charts
  • Baking ingredients and pantry staples
  • Baking substitutions
  • Common baking conversions
  • Choosing baking pans
  • How to measure ingredients for baking
  • Mixing methods
  • Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    This is a picture of Janice Lawandi

    Hi, I'm Janice Lawandi! I am a baking-obsessed recipe developer with a PhD in Chemistry who writes about baking and the science of baking.

    More about me →

    Give back

    If you enjoy the free content on this website, consider saying thank you!

    Bake With Apples

    • Serving apple and blueberry crumble with scoops of vanilla ice cream on plates.
      Apple and blueberry crumble
    • Puff pastry apple tart cut into squares to serve.
      Puff pastry apple tart
    • Apple tart tatin featuring honeycrisp apples.
      Apple tarte tatin
    • Apple galette being sliced and served
      Easy apple galette
    • Bundt cake coated with shiny salted caramel sauce
      Apple bundt cake with salted caramel glaze
    • Apple crumb coffee cake ready to be served with cups of tea, plates and a serrated knife
      Apple crumble cake

    Bake With Pumpkin

    • A slice of maple pumpkin bread on a dessert plate.
      Maple pumpkin bread
    • Slices of pumpkin bread served on speckled plates with a cup of tea and green linen
      Perfect pumpkin loaf cake
    • whoopie pie
      Pumpkin spice whoopie pies with brown butter cream cheese frosting
    • A plate with a pumpkin muffin split open and smeared with butter, with a cup of coffee on the side.
      Pumpkin muffins
    • vegan pumpkin pie shakes
      Pumpkin spice shake
    • Homemade pumpkin purée strained through a cheesecloth.
      How to make homemade pumpkin purée for baking

    Eggless chocolate cake

    Chocolate layer cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate sprinkles on a cake stand.
    Learn to make an eggless chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting!

    Baking conversions

    Buy the baking conversion charts NOW!

    As seen on

    Logos of online and offline publications that featured the Bake School and Janice Lawandi.

    How to poach pears

    Poached pears on an enamelware plate.
    This easy poached pears recipe is simple and you can use the poached fruit for salads, appetizers, and desserts!
    This is a picture of Janice Lawandi

    Hi, I'm Janice Lawandi! I am a baking-obsessed recipe developer with a PhD in Chemistry who writes about baking and the science of baking.

    More about me →

    Give back

    If you enjoy the free content on this website, consider saying thank you!

    Bake With Apples

    • Apple butter pie - Stencil pie with powdered sugar to give it a lacy pattern
      Apple butter pie
    • Savoury pork and apple pies with Maple Leaf shredded pork, thyme and apple chunks
      Savoury hand pies with pork and apple
    • sweetango apple pie yogurt parfait with granola
      SweeTango apple pie yogurt parfait
    • spiced apple jam
      Spiced apple jam
    • miniature apple cupcakes with a dollop of cream cheese frosting and topped with graham cracker crumbs
      Apple cupcakes with thick pipeable cream cheese frosting
    • apple stuffed scones
      Apple pie scones

    Bake With Pumpkin

    • Sliced pumpkin cranberry bread on cooling rack being served with butter
      The best pumpkin bread with cranberries
    • Little pumpkin tarts
      Mini pumpkin pie tarts without evaporated milk
    • Sliced pumpkin bread on a wood cutting board
      Healthier pumpkin bread (eggless, dairy-free, vegan, less sugar)
    • A pink bowl of toasted pumpkin seeds with a pink spoon for serving
      Toasted pumpkin seeds
    • Serving pumpkin pie on black plates.
      Pumpkin pie without evaporated milk
    • Scoops of pumpkin ice cream in little bowls with pie crust cookies.
      Pumpkin ice cream

    Eggless chocolate cake

    Chocolate layer cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate sprinkles on a cake stand.
    Learn to make an eggless chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting!

    Baking conversions

    Buy the baking conversion charts NOW!

    As seen on

    Logos of online and offline publications that featured the Bake School and Janice Lawandi.

    How to poach pears

    Poached pears on an enamelware plate.
    This easy poached pears recipe is simple and you can use the poached fruit for salads, appetizers, and desserts!

    Footer

    If you enjoy the free content on this website, consider saying thank you!

    Buy Me a Pound of Butter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Meet Janice Lawandi
    • FAQ
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and conditions
    • Accessibility
    • Press

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Portfolio

    As seen on

    Logos of online and offline publications that featured the Bake School and Janice Lawandi.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · THE BAKE SCHOOL