Easy Gingerbread Biscuits

The recipe, step by step

These gingerbread biscuits have lightly crisp edges, soft and chewy centres and just the right amount of warming ginger spice. There is only one problem—they are ridiculously moreish!

The dough comes together quickly and easily in one bowl using just a handful of simple ingredients. The biscuits are also wonderful for baking with children, who can help roll the dough, cut out their favourite shapes and decorate the cooled biscuits with royal icing.

You can leave them completely plain or decorate them as simply or elaborately as you like. This is one biscuit recipe I return to every Christmas, and it is always a winner with the family.

I love baking several different varieties of biscuits and arranging them on a festive platter for when family and friends drop by. For more Christmas baking inspiration, try my chestnut snowball cookies, Viennese biscuits, cranberry lemon shortbread, cinnamon biscuits and Linzer biscuits.

Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Biscuits

• Soft and chewy in the centre
• Lightly crisp around the edges
• Filled with warming ginger spice
• Quick and easy one-bowl recipe
• Perfect for baking with children
• Easy to cut into different shapes
• Delicious plain or decorated with royal icing
• Ideal for Christmas biscuit platters and homemade gifts

Recipe Highlights

• Ease: Incredibly easy to make using just one mixing bowl.

• Taste and texture: Sweet, warmly spiced gingerbread biscuits with crisp edges and soft, chewy centres.

• Serving suggestion: Delicious on their own or served with a hot cup of tea.

• Quantity: Approximately 25–30 biscuits.

• Time: Approximately 10 minutes of preparation, plus 1 hour of chilling and the required baking time.

Ingredients for Gingerbread Biscuits

For these easy gingerbread biscuits, you will need the following ingredients:

• Butter – Butter adds richness, flavour and structure to the biscuits. I often use salted butter because a little salt enhances the spices and balances the sweetness. Unsalted butter can also be used if you prefer. Bring the butter to room temperature before mixing. It should be soft enough to press gently with your finger but should not appear melted or greasy.

• Light Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar adds sweetness, moisture and a subtle caramel flavour that complements the ginger and molasses. It also helps create the biscuits’ soft, chewy centres.

• Molasses – Molasses gives these gingerbread biscuits their deep colour, distinctive flavour and chewy texture. Its rich, slightly bittersweet flavour balances the brown sugar and works beautifully with the warming spices.

• Medium Egg – The egg binds the ingredients together while adding moisture, richness and structure. Use a room-temperature egg so that it combines smoothly with the butter and sugar mixture.

• Plain or All-Purpose Flour – Plain flour provides the main structure of the biscuit dough. Measure it carefully, as adding too much flour can make the biscuits dry, hard and difficult to roll.

• Baking Powder – Baking powder provides a small amount of lift, helping the biscuits remain lighter and less dense. Make sure it has not passed its expiry date.

• Ground Ginger – Ground ginger gives the biscuits their characteristic warmth, aroma and festive flavour.

Gingerbread Biscuit Variations

These biscuits are delicious with ginger alone, but you can easily customise them by adding other warming spices.

Add More Warming Spices

Try adding half a teaspoon of one or two of the following:

• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cloves
• Allspice
• Ground cardamom

Cloves, nutmeg and cardamom can quickly become overpowering, so add them sparingly.

Add Orange

Finely grated orange zest adds a fresh citrus flavour that works beautifully with ginger and molasses.

Add Chocolate

Dip the cooled biscuits into melted dark, milk or white chocolate, or drizzle a little chocolate over the tops. Allow the chocolate to set completely before storing the biscuits.

Decorate with Royal Icing

Once the biscuits have cooled completely, decorate them with royal icing. Use a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle to add outlines, buttons, faces and festive patterns. Allow the icing to dry fully before stacking or storing the biscuits.

Choose Different Shapes

Use cutters that suit the season or occasion:

• Gingerbread people
• Stars
• Snowflakes
• Christmas trees
• Hearts
• Bells
• Houses

Try to cut similarly sized biscuits for each batch so that they bake evenly.

Nutrition

Serving: One gingerbread biscuit without icing

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and portion size used.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

These biscuits will be firmer and crisper on the first day but will gradually soften during storage. Once completely cool, place them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to one week.

Allow royal icing to dry completely before stacking decorated biscuits. Place baking paper between the layers to protect the decorations.

Can You Freeze Gingerbread Biscuits?

Yes. Allow the baked biscuits to cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze them for up to one month.

When you are ready to serve them, remove the required number of biscuits and allow them to defrost at room temperature.

For the best appearance, freeze the biscuits undecorated and add the royal icing after they have defrosted

TOOLS YOU’LL NEED

Here is some of the kitchen equipment I use and recommend for making gingerbread biscuits:

• Small piping nozzle for decorating
• Silicone spatula
• Rolling pin
• Baking trays
• Baking paper
• Wire cooling rack
• Reusable or disposable piping bags

• Piping Bags re-usable – I use both reusable cotton piping bags and disposable piping bags, as the best choice really comes down to personal preference and how much icing or decorating you plan to do. Disposable Piping Bags

• Round Piping Nozzles Set or Piping Star/Rosette Set,   – I have listed both sets of round and star nozzle sets and a mixed set. If you are starting out a mixed set is probably enough.Mixed Piping Tip Set with Stand, 7 Pieces

• Electric hand whisk – I recommend the Breville Classic Combo Stand and Hand Mixer because it includes a generous 3.7-litre stainless steel bowl and a convenient stand, so you do not have to hold the mixer throughout use. You can find it and more of my favourite baking equipment in my Amazon Kitchen Equipment collection.

• Large mixing bowl – I recommend the 29 cm Mason Cash cream earthenware mixing bowl because it is sturdy, chip-resistant and has a generous four-litre capacity, making it ideal for everything from cake batters to bread doughs. It is also microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe. You can find this bowl and more of my favourite kitchen tools in my Amazon Baking Essentials collection.

• Gingerbread Cookie Cutter Set – Both of these sets of cookie cutters are great for making this gingerbread recipe. Mr & Mrs Gingerbread Man & Woman Cuters

Tips for the Best Gingerbread Biscuits

Use Room-Temperature Ingredients

Room-temperature butter and egg combine more easily, helping the dough emulsify properly and develop an even texture. Cold ingredients can leave the mixture lumpy or cause it to split.

Avoid Overmixing the Dough

Mix only until the dry ingredients have been incorporated. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and may produce tougher biscuits.

Chill the Dough

Chilling gives the flour time to absorb moisture from the other ingredients while firming the butter. This makes the dough easier to roll, reduces sticking and helps the cut biscuits retain their shapes in the oven. Chill the dough for approximately one hour, as directed in the recipe.

Flour the Work Surface Lightly

Dust the work surface and rolling pin with enough flour to prevent sticking. Avoid using excessive flour, however, as too much can become incorporated into the dough and make the biscuits dry. Rolling the dough between two sheets of baking paper is another way to prevent sticking without adding extra flour.

Don’t Roll the Dough Too Thinly

Thin biscuits bake more quickly and are likely to become hard and crisp. For softer, chewier gingerbread biscuits, keep the dough slightly thicker and roll it evenly.

Cut Similar-Sized Biscuits

Arrange biscuits of a similar size on the same baking tray so that they finish baking at approximately the same time. Smaller shapes will bake more quickly than larger ones.

Chill the Cut Biscuits When Necessary

If the dough becomes warm and soft while you are rolling and cutting it, refrigerate the prepared biscuits briefly before baking. This helps preserve the details of the shapes and prevents excessive spreading.

Leave Space Between the Biscuits

Arrange the cut biscuits with a little room between them so that they can expand without joining together.

Avoid Overbaking

The baking time will depend on the size and thickness of your biscuits, as well as your preferred texture. My medium biscuits, which measure approximately 10 cm long, take around 10 minutes for a softer finish and up to 14 minutes for a crisper texture. Baking them for longer may result in very hard biscuits.

Remember That They Firm as They Cool

The biscuits may still feel slightly soft when they first come out of the oven. Allow them to rest on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring them carefully to a wire cooling rack. They will continue to firm as they cool.

Cool Completely Before Decorating

Do not add royal icing until the biscuits are completely cool. Any remaining warmth can melt the icing and prevent it from setting properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Gingerbread Biscuits Supposed to Be Soft or Crunchy?

They can be either, depending on their thickness and baking time. Bake them for a shorter time to create softer, chewier centres or leave them in the oven slightly longer for a firmer, crisper texture.

Why Are My Gingerbread Biscuits Hard?

The dough may have been rolled too thinly, too much flour may have been added or the biscuits may have been overbaked. Measure the flour accurately and begin checking them early, particularly when using smaller cutters.

Why Did My Gingerbread Biscuits Spread?

The butter or dough may have been too warm. Chill the dough properly and refrigerate the cut biscuits briefly before baking when they have softened during shaping.

Why Is My Dough Sticky?

The dough may still be warm or may not have chilled for long enough. Wrap it and return it to the refrigerator rather than immediately adding more flour.

Can I Make the Dough in Advance?

Yes. Prepare the dough in advance, wrap it well and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to roll and bake it. Very cold dough may need a few minutes at room temperature before it becomes easy to roll.

Can Children Help Make These Biscuits?

Yes. Children can help mix the ingredients, roll the dough, cut out shapes and decorate the cooled biscuits. Adults should supervise the oven and handle hot baking trays.

Can I Decorate Them with Royal Icing?

Yes. Allow the biscuits to cool completely before piping on the royal icing. Leave the decorated biscuits uncovered until the icing has fully dried.

How Do I Keep the Biscuits Soft?

Avoid rolling the dough too thinly or baking the biscuits for too long. Once cool, keep them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.

How Long Do Gingerbread Biscuits Last?

Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they will keep for up to one week. Their texture will gradually become softer as they sit.

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