Gingerbread Bites Spiced Chewy (Printable Version)

Crisp and chewy gingerbread bites infused with warm spices for a classic holiday treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/3 cup molasses
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Decorations

14 - Royal icing in white, red, and blue
15 - Mini chocolate chips or candies for embellishment

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until fully combined.
05 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated without overmixing.
06 - Divide dough in half, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for easier handling.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to approximately 1/4 inch thickness.
08 - Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut shapes from dough. Arrange on prepared baking sheets with 2 inches spacing between each cookie.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set and centers remain slightly soft.
10 - Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.
11 - Apply royal icing and arrange mini chocolate chips or candies to resemble GingerBrave character, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy enough to hold their shape during decorating but stay surprisingly chewy in the middle where it counts.
  • One batch makes enough to decorate however you want, whether that's simple icing faces or elaborate GingerBrave replicas.
02 -
  • Molasses is irreplaceable here, so don't substitute honey or corn syrup thinking it'll work the same way because the flavor will shift entirely and lose that authentic gingerbread character.
  • Baking time is everything with these cookies, so set a timer for 10 minutes and check them then rather than guessing at 12 minutes.
03 -
  • Brown your butter before mixing if you want to add an extra layer of nutty depth that transforms these from good to unforgettable.
  • Keep the dough just slightly cool when rolling, not ice-cold, because overly firm dough will crack at the edges when you cut the shapes out.
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