These are the ultimate soft and chewy gingerbread sugar cookies without molasses. They're thick, sweet, and super easy to make with no chill time. Seriously, the best gingerbread cookies ever-perfect for the holidays!
The best soft gingerbread sugar cookies without molasses
Most gingerbread recipes use molasses, but it's not something everyone has on hand. That's why I created this easy, no-chill gingerbread cookie recipe without molasses. These cookies are soft, chewy, and insanely delicious! These are my #1 favorite cookies following to these chewy snickerdoodles and these chocolate chip sugar cookies.
Everyone who's tried these says they're better than traditional gingerbread! Unlike the usual thin and crispy gingerbread men, these cookies are thick, soft, and chewy-like a sugar cookie or Snickerdoodle. They literally melt in your mouth with perfect gooey centers and crisp edges.
Plus, we use maple syrup and brown sugar instead of molasses. They taste like Christmas in a cookie!
The best part? You don't need to chill the dough. You can make these cookies in just 25 minutes. I can't wait for you to try them!
Why I love this recipe:
- No Molasses: These gingerbread cookies are just as tasty without the molasses.
- Soft & Chewy: Thick, soft, and chewy cookies that everyone will love.
- No Chilling: No need to chill the dough, so you can bake right away!
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 25 minutes, perfect for a quick treat.
- Holiday Vibes: They taste just like Christmas!
- Sugar Coating: Soft centers with a sweet sugar crust.
- Try these thick and chewy snickerdoodles next! One of my favorite recipes.
Ingredients needed
Trust me, these are the BEST gingerbread cookies you'll ever make-no molasses needed! Here's everything you'll need to get started, but make sure to scroll to the bottom of this page for the exact measurements:
- Flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly for these cookies.
- Spices: A blend of ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and my secret ingredient-pumpkin pie spice-to flavor these cookies.
- Salt: Just a pinch for that perfect balance of sweet and salty.
- Baking Soda: This helps the cookies rise. Don't substitute with baking powder-it's not the same!
- Butter: Unsalted butter makes these cookies extra soft and chewy, but salted butter works too-just skip adding extra salt.
- Sugars: Light brown sugar to sweeten the dough and granulated sugar for rolling the cookies before baking.
- Egg: One egg holds the cookies together and gives them their chewy texture.
- Maple Syrup: We replace molasses with maple syrup, which adds sweetness and helps achieve that soft, chewy texture.
How to make soft gingerbread cookies without molasses
These thick and chewy gingerbread cookies are ready in under 20 minutes with no need to chill the dough. Follow these simple steps, and check out the full recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements!
Step One: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside while you prepare the dough.
Step Two: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients-flour, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step Three: In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Step Four: Add the egg and mix until combined. Then, add the maple syrup and mix again, being careful not to overbeat. Gradually add the dry ingredients in 2-3 batches on low speed to avoid a floury mess.
Step Five: Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls. Roll the dough balls in sugar and space them 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. This recipe makes about 24-26 cookies.
Step Six: Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies puff up. They should look slightly underbaked, with golden bottoms and soft, puffy tops. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Enjoy your perfectly soft and chewy gingerbread sugar cookies!
Top baking tips for gingerbread cookies
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Soft butter and room-temperature eggs ensure proper creaming for a soft and fluffy dough. Avoid cold ingredients to prevent dry cookies and longer baking times.
- Consider Pumpkin Pie Spice: Enhance the flavor with an optional ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice-it's a cozy addition!
- Remove Cookies Early: Take the cookies out while they're slightly underdone, puffy, and soft. They'll settle as they cool, creating the perfect chewy texture.
- Fresh Baking Soda Matters: Expired or stale baking soda can lead to flat cookies. Always check the expiration date and replace if it's been open longer than six months.
- Freeze the Dough for Convenience: Save time by freezing extra cookie dough in ready-to-bake portions. Just wrap tightly, and you'll have freshly baked cookies whenever you want!
Easy ingredient substitutions:
Here are the best substitutions for these gingerbread cookies without molasses. Just swap 1-2 ingredients to keep the recipe's flavor intact:
- Light Brown Sugar: Swap with dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Use salted butter but skip adding extra salt.
- Maple Syrup: Honey works as a great alternative.
- Nutmeg: Substitute with ground cinnamon if needed.
- White Sugar: Roll the cookies in coconut sugar for a natural twist.
How to make homemade gingerbread spice:
Here's an easy recipe for homemade gingerbread spice! Mix these ingredients together, and use it to flavor baked goods, coffee, oatmeal, yogurt, muffins, or pancakes:
- 3 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1.5 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Frequently Asked Questions
What do these cookies taste like?
These gingerbread cookies without molasses taste just like classic gingerbread men! They're sweet, buttery, and perfectly spiced with ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Do I need to chill the cookie dough?
Nope! There's no need to chill the dough for this recipe. You'll have delicious cookies ready in just 20 minutes from start to finish.
Why are these gingerbread cookies so pale?
Traditional gingerbread cookies get their darker color from molasses. Since this recipe skips the molasses, the cookies are lighter in color but still pack the same delicious gingerbread flavor!
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but if you'd like to try it, I recommend using a high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. It's the best substitute for all-purpose flour.
What's the best substitute for maple syrup?
Honey works perfectly as a substitute for maple syrup. Just make sure it's at room temperature for easy mixing.
Why are my gingerbread cookies flat?
Your cookies may be flat because your baking soda has expired or your butter and eggs aren't at room temperature. Fresh baking soda helps with rise, and room-temperature ingredients ensure proper texture. Always check these before baking!
How to store and freeze gingerbread cookies:
Storing: For best results, store leftover gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 - 7 days.
Freezing: Add your cooled gingerbread cookies to a freezer-safe plastic bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw or slightly reheat them in the microwave before enjoying them.
If you love this recipe, try these cookies next!
- Chewy Coffee Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
- Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Healthy Salted Cowboy Cookies
- Healthy Sugar Cookies
- Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Cookies Without Molasses
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 2 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, optional but highly recommend
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (very important)
- 1 cup brown sugar (I used light), packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup, room temperature
- 2 - 3 tablespoon white sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set to the side.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set to the side.
- In a stand mixer (with the paddle attachment) or using an electric handheld mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until it's fully combined, fluffy, and creamy. It should take about 1 - 2 minutes. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom. Add the egg and beat on medium until combined. Then, add the maple syrup and beat until combined. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl on low in 2 - 3 increments, so the flour doesn't spill everywhere.
- Using a cooking scooper, portion out about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Then, gently roll the dough balls in sugar. Evenly space them out on your lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. This recipe makes about 24 - 26 cookies.
- Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until puffed up. The cookies should look slightly underbaked, puffy, and soft. The bottoms will be golden, and the tops should be ever-so-slightly crisp. The cookies will collapse as they cool. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
I only recommend products I love and use myself. In full disclosure, I may receive a small compensation for purchasing a product I recommend. Thank you for supporting Healthful Blondie!
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Melanie says
I am 70 and have cooked/baked all my life.
My Hubs favorite is Gingerbread. I've tried many a cookie and this one is
A-Mazing! I added a few extra spices.
They almost taste like a soft molasses cookie even though I substituted maple syrup for the molasses.
Tati Chermayeff says
This absolutely made my day 🥹 Coming from someone with a lifetime of baking experience means so much. I love that you added extra spices — and I’m thrilled they still had that classic soft molasses-style flavor even with maple syrup. Thank you so much for sharing and for the kind words!
Gloria says
These cookies are delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written with the substitution of honey instead of maple syrup, and I added a tiny bit more ginger because I like ginger a lot. They came out exactly as the recipe said they would and are very soft gently chewy and super delicious.
Tati Chermayeff says
This makes me so happy to read 🤍 I love that you swapped in honey and added extra ginger — that sounds perfect. So glad they turned out soft, gently chewy, and just like you expected. Thanks so much for taking the time to share!
Kelly says
So, so tasty!
Easy to make.
Nice and soft.
Holds up to my heavy handed spice measuring ( the husband likes extra spice, he is older and his taste buds don't work the way they used to )
Definitely going into my "best recipes ever" book
Thank you!
I used half ap, half bread flour, and thought maybe they would go tough, but no, so Yay!
Hadil G says
It’s so hard to find good legitimate recipes online for cookies that always turn out amazing and omg… the best cookies I’ve ever had. I never leave a comment but I just had to. These are honestly amazing and I’m only going to follow your recipes from now on <3 (also I added just a little bit more ginger and they smell and taste amazing!)
Shezin says
Hi,
Really liked your recipe. Can I make it as a ginger bread man cookie with this?
Allison Huggs says
SO YUMMY!!! they are like soft sugar cookies but taste like gingerbread. So easy to make too. Going to be making these all winter long!
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi Allison! So happy to hear this. Gingerbread is the best and what better way to enjoy it but in sugar cookie form!