Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Gingerbread shortbread cookies have all the flavor of gingerbread in a crisp buttery cookie. This slice and bake cookie dough can be frozen, sliced, and baked whenever you want fresh cookies.
How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to chill
Equipment you’ll need: mixer, baking sheet
Servings: makes 40 cookies
Big Ginger Flavor, No Cookie Cutters
I’ve always been a fan of everything ginger, especially if it’s coming in the form of a cookie. Did you happen to see my classic gingersnaps or the loaded gingersnap cookies with white chocolate? When ginger cookies are paired with ginger-spiced hot chocolate, I’m in ginger heaven.
You might notice I skip the complicated cutouts and go straight for slice-and-bake simplicity. Why fuss when they taste just as great round? Plus, they’re still so beautiful and it leaves me more time to watch cheesy Christmas movies.
What makes them special:
- Optional icing, totally worth it: The icing is optional but I highly recommend it. The easy icing drizzle gives the same vibes as traditional gingerbread men but without any hassle.
- Big flavor, simple method: You can make the dough in 15 minutes with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. There’s nothing complicated about shortbread.
- Make-ahead magic: Freeze the dough, and then slice and bake whenever the craving hits or company drops by.
- Perfect texture: Butter is a key ingredient and you can tell by the way the cookie melts in your mouth. Don’t let me catch you using margarine in these cookies!
Ingredient Notes
I’ll run through a few of the ingredients that you may have questions about. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Flour: I like all-purpose flour for these shortbread cookies. I haven’t tried making the recipe with whole wheat flour (although it works well for these whole wheat chocolate chip cookies!) because I want the cookies to retain a delicately crisp texture. When you measure the flour, be sure to scoop it out of the container and lightly filling the measuring cup. Don’t shake the cup to level the flour; that can cause the flour to become compacted, resulting in dry hard cookies.
- Spices: The cookies boast an array of warm spices to mimic traditional gingerbread: ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The fresher your spices are, the more flavorful your cookies will be!
- Butter: You’ll want to use real butter (unsalted) for these shortbread cookies. The cookies rely heavily on butter for flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Be sure to let the butter come to room temperature before making the cookie dough. You’ll need 1 cup of butter, or two sticks.
- Molasses: Use a light colored molasses that is suitable for baking, such as Grandma’s Unsulphured Molasses (I use the same molasses in my gingersnap cookies). Blackstrap molasses can be bitter and won’t work well in these cookies.
- Powdered sugar: I like powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar to make these slice-and-bake cookies because it has a fine texture, and isn’t grainy. You’ll use powdered sugar to make the optional glaze too.
How To Make Gingerbread Shortbread Cookies
Combine flour and spices. Stir together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
Beat remaining ingredients. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar, molasses, vanilla, and salt. Beat the mixture until it’s creamy and light-colored.
Combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the bowl, and beat until just combined to make the cookie dough.
Shape. On a large square of parchment paper or waxed paper, shape the dough into a long narrow log, about twelve to fourteen inches in length. The diameter of the dough log wiil be the approximate shape and size of the cookies.
Freeze. Wrap the paper securely around the dough, and put the dough log into the freezer for 30 minutes.
Slice. Preheat the oven to 350℉. After the dough has chilled, unwrap and slice it into quarter-inch slices using a sharp chef’s knife. Place the slices on a baking sheet. You can arrange them fairly close together. They’ll spread a little but not much.
Bake. Bake each batch of cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until firm and set. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Add icing drizzle. Stir together powdered sugar and a small amount of milk (or water) to form a thin icing. Drizzle the icing over the cookies as shown in the photos.
Chilling Tips
Frozen dough: If you freeze the dough longer than 30 minutes, it becomes too hard to slice. Let the dough log warm up on the counter for 30 minutes or so until it softens enough to slice. Be sure to use a sharp knife to slice it. If the dough crumbles slightly at the edges, simply press the crumbs back onto the cookie.
Refrigerated dough: If you prefer, you can refrigerate (not freeze) the dough a few hours or overnight. You should be able to slice it immediately when you remove it from the fridge.
How to store baked cookies: After the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or put the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
How to freeze the dough: One of the features I love about shortbread cookies is that you can make the dough and freeze it to bake later. Make the dough into a log (or 2 shorter logs) and wrap it securely. It will keep for up to 3 months. Bake cookies as needed.
More Slice and Bake Cookies
Gingerbread Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (spooned in the measuring cup and leveled)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Icing (optional but recommended)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (see note 1), cream butter, powdered sugar, molasses, vanilla, and salt until creamy and light colored, about 2 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, ¾ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture until combined.
- On wax paper or parchment paper, form the dough into a 12- to 14-inch log and freeze for 30 minutes or until firm (see note 2). If you freeze the dough longer than 30 minutes, it may become too hard to slice. If this happens, let the dough sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes to soften.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the shortbread dough into ¼ -inch slices; place them evenly on a baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until firm and set. Remove pan from oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Optional Icing: When cookies are cool, mix powdered sugar and milk (or water). Drizzle icing over cookies, using a spoon, fork, or a small plastic bag with the corner cut off (squeeze icing through the small hole). Allow icing to set before storing cookies in an airtight container.½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk or water
Notes
- Mixer: If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer to blend the butter, sugar, molasses, vanilla and salt until smooth. You’ll probably need to stir the flour mixture in by hand unless you have a powerful mixer.
- Freeze the dough. Make the dough into a log (or 2 shorter logs) and wrap it securely. It will keep for up to 3 months. Let it set out at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing it. Bake cookies as directed.
- Storage: Once the cookies have completely cooled and icing has hardened, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or put the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
These are so good! I used maple sugar instead of powdered and they were perfect!!! Making them as my cookie exchange pick!!!
Question, Once they are baked could I still freeze them or are they best frozen until baked?
Sp happy you liked them! You could definitely freeze them baked or unbaked
Thanks so much for allowing me to include your recipe in my round-up of 60 Ultimate Cookie Exchange Recipes on Taste As You Go! Happy Holidays!
Slice and bake cookies are my fave! And these sound fabulous!
as far as dried fruit in cookies go, I vastly prefer cranberries to raisins. These cookies look so addictive!