No Spread Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
These gingerbread sugar cookies are perfect for this time of the year. Whether you want to eat them as is or decorate them, these cookies are light and airy in texture. Unlike regular gingerbread cookies, these do not spread, which makes them perfect for decorating with fondant or
When I think of Christmas cookies, gingerbread cookies are on that list. Usually, I make my traditional gingerbread cookies. But when I am making cookies to decorate with fondant, I want the cookies to stay the same size as the cookie cutter. That way, all I have to do is cut the same shape in fondant and voila I have a pretty fondant decorated gingerbread sugar cookie.
The problem with traditional gingerbread cookies is that they are too delicate to decorate with fondant. So, I had to make a special gingerbread sugar cookie recipe just so I can decorate them with fondant.
I made these knit inspired stockings, boots, gloves and hats with fondant. Guess what cookies I used? Yes, this recipe. Aren’t these pretty?
By the way, I shared all these knit inspired Christmas cookie tutorials with you already.
About this gingerbread sugar cookie recipe
The recipe is fairly simple and easy to make. A butter-based cookie dough using brown sugar and molasses along with wonderful warm gingerbread spices. The cookie dough has a soft consistency, and you will be very tempted to add more flour, but please do not add more flour.
The cookie dough takes only 5 minutes to mix but it is very important that you chill these cookies well before you roll them. Roll them on a lightly floured surface and place them on a cookie tray. Dust off any excess flour before you chill and bake them.
Because these are already dark in color, it is easier to over-bake them. So, keep an eye on them and look for a slight color on the edges. As a guide, small size cookies like these will take about 8 to 10 minutes to bake, while larger ones take about 10 to 12 minutes.
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)
- Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt. And yet, you can use salted butter. If you do use salted butter omit the salt in the recipe.
- Molasses – I highly recommend you use molasses. It’s what gives gingerbread cookies that unique flavor.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar has molasses, which adds to the flavor. And yet, if you must, go ahead and use white sugar. Also note, the texture of the cookies will be crisper than with brown sugar.
- Eggs – I highly recommend you use one large egg, about 50 to 60 grams in weight. You want the dough to be firm but delicate with a little crispiness.
- Spices – I am using ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. And yet, you can also use store-bought gingerbread spice.
Useful Tips and Tools
- I prefer to weigh my ingredients with a kitchen scale for the correct measurements. When appropriate I use my measuring cups and spoons too. read – how to measure ingredients correctly when baking.
- I’m not a slave to mixers. And yet, when you need some good creaming, I highly recommend you use the Kenwood or Kitchen Aid.
- A good baking tray is always important. So, try using a light-colored baking tray. Another option is to line the baking tray with parchment paper.
- If you aren’t going to fill or decorate these cookies, a regular rolling pin will work just fine. And yet, a cookie rolling pin has the side spacers that will also help you with rolling. So all your cookies are leveled and bake evenly.
- Also, it is really important to cool cookies completely on all sides as soon as they come out of the oven. So, take them off the baking tray to prevent them from cooking further and place them on a cooling rack so air circulates on all sides. This prevents steam from going back into the cookie, thus, keeping them crispy not soggy.
- Most cookies usually bake between 10 to 12 minutes. Since cookies bake quickly they can also get over-baked. This is due to our tendency to get distracted at the last minute. Hence, my solution is a kitchen timer that is always set to 10 minutes. I turn it on as soon as I place the cookies in the oven. This has saved me many cookies since my kids always keep me busy.
How to Make No-Spread Gingerbread Sugar Cookies (Save/Pin)
Prepare dough
- Combine flour, salt, and spices.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer, with a paddle attachment – cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses and combine well.
- Next, add the egg and vanilla.
- Lastly, add the flour mixture in two batches.
- Mix until everything is well incorporated. Do not overmix.
- The dough will be very soft, but do not add more flour.
- Divide the dough into two discs and wrap in cling wrap.
- Chill until firm enough to roll. About an hour or overnight.
Roll and Bake
- Preheat oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Roll the dough on to a lightly floured surface about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut out shapes and place on a parchment-lined tray.
- Chill cookies while the oven is preheating.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack completely before you decorate and store in cookie jars.
Here’s what I did with this batch of sugar cookies.
Frequently asked questions
These gingerbread sugar cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.
These cookies are not supposed to spread as they do not have any leavening.
However, too much butter or sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading. Too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much.
Place cookies on a cold, not hot baking pan.
And make sure the oven is at the right temperature.
It is always a good practice to refrigerate cookies while the oven is preheating. Chilling cookie dough helps solidify the butter in the cookies. This helps when baking by preventing them from spreading since chilled dough takes longer to melt compared to room temperature fat.
These cookies have a good shelf life as a dough as well as cookies.
The dough, if wrapped well, can usually stay in the fridge for 5 to 6 days before coating and baking.
You can also place the unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined tray, wrapped well with cling wrap, for about 3 to 4 days.
In addition, this cinnamon sugar cookie dough can be frozen for a month or more if covered well.
Yes, you can use other sugar cookie doughs for this as well. Here are some of my sugar cookie dough recipes that would work wonderfully.
No chill no spread sugar cookies,
No chill sugar cookie dough
vanilla sugar cookies & chocolate sugar cookies.
Eggless vanilla sugar cookies & eggless chocolate sugar cookies
Classic Gingerbread cookies & no spread gingerbread sugar cookies
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies & Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
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No Spread Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
Print Pin RateDescription
Equipment /Tools
- Stand Mixer
- Kitchen Scale
- Christmas Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 228 grams (8.04 oz) Unsalted butter
- 200 grams (0.91 cups) Brown sugar light
- 440 grams (3.52 cups) All-purpose flour
- 120 ml (0.51 cups) Molasses unsulphured
- 1 (1 ) Eggs large
- 1 tsp (2 tsp) Vanilla
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Salt
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Ground ginger
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp All-spice
Instructions
Prepare
- Mix the spices and salt into the flour.
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature.
Prepare dough
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses and continue to mix well.
- Next, add the egg white and yolks.
- Followed by the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture in two batches.
- Mix until everything is well incorporated.
- The dough will be very soft.
- Divide into two discs and wrap in cling wrap.
- Chill until firm enough to roll.
Roll cookies
- Preheat oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Roll the well-chilled dough on to a well-floured surface about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut out shapes and place on a parchment lined tray.
- Chill cookies while the oven is preheating.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack completely before you decorate and store in cookie jars.
Recipe Video
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Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Kate
These cookies sound so good. I bet they smell amazing while they cook.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Kate.
Natalie
These cookies look so delicious! I love gingerbread!
Veena Azmanov
Me too, Thanks Natalie
Diana
This recipe looks great! I’m going to give this a try. Can I freeze baked gingerbread cookies though as I want to make them beforehand?
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Diana.
Valentina
These cookies are so much fun, and I love the blend of a sugar cookie with the spices of the gingerbread. I’m inspired to do some holiday baking now! 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Valentina. I think you will love it.
Brian Jones
I love gingerbread cookies these look fab, loving the no spread promise, looking forward to trying these.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Brian. Yes, these do not have any leavening.
Francoise
Thank you so much for this recipe. Tried it and loved it. Thanks
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Francoise. Happy to hear you had success with this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Always happy to her from those who has tried my recipes or tutorials. If you share it on Instagram please do tag me @veenaazmanov so I can see your finished work. Thanks
Renee Gardner
I love that you combined the spice of a gingerbread cookie and the softness of a sugar cookie into one. It makes me wish I could spend my afternoon in the kitchen baking instead of doing chores. I’ve pinned this recipe for later.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Renee. I love the texture of these cookies too. Thanks for pinning.
elcitraKale
What a great recipe and the cookies looks absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing your tips and informative post. Save this.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Elcitrakale. You are very welcome.
Tina
I’m a cookie novice so this was very helpful to me. Definitely saving this for later. I need to show my daughter, we had cookies that spread and we had no idea why, until now. Thanks!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Tina. Yeah I know that feeling. I hate decorating cookies that spread too much too!
Abby @ WinsteadWandering
I hate frosting cookies that’ve spread, too. It’s no fun when they all look like blobs. Your cookies turned out beautifully!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Abby. Yeah I decorate quite a few cookies so I know how important it is that these do not not spread!!
prasanna hede
Love Gingerbread cookies! these are so cute and perfect for the upcoming season!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Prasanna. Yes they are perfect for the upcoming season
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
I love gingerbread cookies! These would be great for upcoming holiday cookie exchanges!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Kathryn. Would be great for upcoming holidays
Kate
Yum! I love gingerbread cookies. THese sound just perfect. I can’t wait for Christmas cookie season!
Veena Azmanov
Me too Kate. Thank you
Rachel
Cute cookies. They look delicious! Thanks for the tips on substitution options.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Rachel.
Ben Myhre
What does ‘spread’ mean in the context of this recipe?
Veena Azmanov
Most cookies tend to spread and increase in size when baked due to the leavening agents. Sometimes the shape begins to look flat and distorted. This recipe does not spread which means it holds it’s shape well and can be covered with fondant every easily. All you do is use the same cookie cutter you used to cut out the cookies and cut the shape in fondant. You can see that done in my next video post where I share how to decorate these cookies.
Saima Zaidi
I’ve never really tried my hand at making gingerbread cookies but your recipe is a good place to start! My kids are going to love these, I’m sure. They look so pretty!
Veena Azmanov
The flavor of the spices and the softness of the molasses in the cookies is very addictive. Once you make them you will get hooked. The house smells Christmasy too!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
I will have to make these with my kids this holiday season. They look fabulous!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Alison. I love making these with the kids too!
Ashima
Thee are perfect as food gifts 🙂 Thanks for sharing.. I know you really recommend using Molasses, but I would still need to ask for a substitute.. I haven’t seen molasses here in the supermarkets..
lots of love!
Veena Azmanov
Ashima. The only other substitute I would say would be dark brown sugar. Same quantity
Patti
I love that these cookies don’t spread when you bake them. It’s always disappointing when the cookies lose too much of their shape to look pretty when decorated. (They still taste good, though.) I love the ration of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in this recipe. It seems like the perfect amount. I love decorating cookies with my kids at Christmas, and I can’t wait to make these with my family.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Patti. As a decorator I do get frustrated when cookies loose their shape. I love pretty perfect cookies and these work great for this time of the year. I hope you give the a try.
Patti
I love gingerbread, so these will definitely be on our cookie tray this December.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Patti. Happy to hear that
Sherry Soobotin
These look delicious! You tempt me every day! LOL! I’m wondering if you’d consider some gluten-free recipes for cookies, desserts, that I could make for staff potlucks; we have a number of people who are gluten- and lactose-intolerant.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Sherry. I know what you mean. I do need to make a few gluten free and eggless cookie recipes. Have had many request for them. I only have the Coconut Macaroons that are GF so far. I will add more to my collection. In fact I have a very yummy GF shortbread cookies which I need to make for the blog. I hope to share that soon. Thanks.