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Thanksgiving Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories growing up is at my grandparent’s house in Whidbey Island. All of my cousins would be sprawled out on the floor playing a rowdy game of Nerts, munching gingerbread cookies and waiting patiently for the turkey to finish cooking and for Aunt Vi to make her special gravy from the drippings for our big feast. When we weren’t trying one of Grandpa’s dried banana chips fresh out of the dehydrator or sneaking Neopolitan ice cream from the big chest freezer, we were playing games, watching Disney movies (like Fantasia…worst movie ever), or running around at the beach building forts and makeshift huts with whatever sticks and logs we could find. Thanksgiving was all about family time and feasting with a little football thrown in.

Gingerbread always went with Thanksgiving and chocolate crinkle cookies, Russian teacakes, spritz, peanut butter blossoms, and lemon bars went with Christmas. Throughout the years, I remember so many evenings gathered around our kitchen island in Leavenworth, where I grew up, with my mom and sister, carefully rolling out thick rounds of gingerbread and filling tray after tray with little gingerbread girls decked out in iced aprons, colorful stockings, and sweaters with red hots for buttons. We would decorate big platters of cookies shaped as autumn leaves, acorns, and pumpkins.

I started my kids making gingerbread early and now, not a year goes by, that we aren’t rolling and cutting, icing and decorating our creations, and we always use this recipe. As soon as my babies were old enough to push a chair up to the kitchen counter, they were rolling out dough.

Classic Gingerbread Cookies

Katie Colyar
Our family has been making these gingerbread cookies every Thanksgiving for years. These soft, chewy cookies have the perfect amount of spice. Delicious as an afterschool treat or as pumpkin pie's favorite sidekick at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

  • 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
  • 1 stick margarine (1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water (add slowly)

Mix in a Separate Bowl:

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375*.
  • In a large mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and shortening. Next add the molasses, brown sugar, and finally the water, pouring slowly.
  • In a separate bowl, add the ingredients from the flour through the allspice, stirring to combine everything. Add to the mixer and mix well.
  • Chill the dough for 1 hour in the freezer or 2 hours in the fridge.
  • Roll the chilled dough out onto a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out the dough into different shapes.
  • Bake at 375* for about 10 minutes or until puffed and not doughy. Do not overbake or cookies will be dry and tough.

Notes

*The flavor and softness of the cookies develops with time and the cookies are best on day 2 and after. Delicious plain or with a simple icing.
**Do not substitute anything for the molasses–it is what creates the rich flavor and soft texture.

The best thing about these cookies is that they get better the longer they sit, so by day two and beyond, they are soft and sweet with notes of nutmeg and ginger. If you don’t have a favorite family recipe, I hope you can use this one to start your own Thanksgiving tradition with your kids.

If you are looking to add more traditions to your holiday season, check out 7 Holiday Traditions to Start with Friends.