10 Best Ginger Cookie Recipes That Will Fill Your Kitchen With The Most Incredible Smell

Okay, so ginger cookies? They are seriously one of those things I could bake every single week and never get tired of. There is something about that warm, spicy kick of ginger mixed with all that cozy sweetness that just makes everything feel right.

Whether you like them crispy, chewy, chocolatey, or totally vegan, there is a ginger cookie on this list that was made for you. Grab your mixing bowls because we are about to bake something really good.

1. Classic Ginger Snap Cookies

There is nothing quite like the original. These classic ginger snaps have that satisfying crisp edge, a beautiful sugared top, and a bold ginger flavor that hits exactly right with every single bite. I make these every holiday season without fail.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Go ahead and whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl.

Set that aside for now. Honestly, this is the easiest step.

Step 2:

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of sugar together until it looks light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Do not rush this part. That creaming is what gives these cookies their lift and texture.

Add in the egg and molasses and mix until everything is combined and glossy. Smells amazing already, right?

Step 3:

Slowly stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until a soft dough comes together. It should not be sticky but it will be pliable and smooth. Too dry? Add a teaspoon of water. Looks messy right now? Trust the process.

Step 4:

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll each one generously in the extra granulated sugar. Place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the tops have that beautiful crackle.

Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving. They firm up as they cool, so do not panic if they seem soft when they first come out.

2. Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

These are the cookies I reach for when I want something that feels like a warm hug. They are thick, pillowy, rolled in sugar, and crinkled right on top. The molasses makes them rich and dark and deeply flavorful.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment. Whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Set it aside.

No need to sift, just whisk it well until you see the spices evenly mixed in.

Step 2:

Beat the butter and brown sugar until really fluffy and pale, about 4 minutes. This longer cream time is what gives these cookies their soft center. Add the egg and molasses and beat again until smooth and combined.

The batter will look almost like a dark caramel at this point. That is perfect.

Step 3:

Mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix or the cookies can turn tough. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling, this helps the balls hold their shape.

Wondering if you can skip the chill time? You technically can, but the cookies spread more. Up to you.

Step 4:

Roll the chilled dough into balls about 1 1/2 inches, then roll each in granulated sugar until fully coated. Place on the baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes until the edges are just set.

They will look underdone in the center and that is exactly what you want. They finish baking on the hot pan.

Step 5:

Let them cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring. This is where the chewy center develops. You will love this part.

3. Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

These are the ones my whole family decorates every December. Gingerbread men lined up in rows, iced with white royal icing, grinning at you from the counter. They hold their shape perfectly, have just the right spice level, and taste so much better than anything from a box.

4. Triple Ginger Cookies (Ground, Fresh, and Candied)

Okay, this is where it gets good. Three forms of ginger, ground, fresh, and candied, all in one cookie. The flavor is layered, bold, and seriously incredible. This is my favorite recipe in the whole list.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/3 cup candied ginger, finely chopped

Step 1:

Whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment.

This recipe comes together so fast once you have your three gingers ready.

Step 2:

Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, molasses, and fresh grated ginger. Mix well until fully incorporated and you will immediately get hit with the most incredible ginger smell.

Pause here and just take that in. So good.

Step 3:

Fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Then gently stir in the chopped candied ginger. The dough will be soft and studded with those little golden pieces. Do not overmix once the candied ginger goes in.

Step 4:

Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in extra granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes until crackled and set at the edges.

Cool on the pan for 5 minutes. The candied ginger pieces on the edges caramelize slightly. You will love this.

Step 5:

Serve with a cold glass of milk. Non negotiable.

5. Lemon Ginger Cookies

These are bright, citrusy, and so refreshing. The lemon zest cuts right through the warm spice of the ginger and creates this perfect balance that honestly surprised me the first time I made them. Lighter than most ginger cookies but just as satisfying.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
Extra sugar for rolling

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare your baking sheets. Whisk flour, ginger, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. These cookies bake up golden and smell absolutely wonderful.

Step 2:

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Quick check, make sure you can see those little lemon zest flecks throughout the mixture.

Step 3:

Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. The dough will be soft and smell so bright and citrusy. Roll into 1 inch balls and roll generously in granulated sugar.

Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Step 4:

Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are golden and the tops are lightly crackled. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Easier than it sounds and better than any store bought lemon cookie you have ever had.

6. Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Half dipped in dark chocolate, sprinkled with bits of candied ginger on top. These look absolutely stunning and taste even better. The dark chocolate and bold ginger together? That combination is next level.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup dark chocolate chips (for dipping)
2 tbsp chopped candied ginger (for topping)

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets. Whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Step 2:

Beat butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and mix until smooth and glossy. Stir in the flour mixture until combined. Roll into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Step 3:

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until crackled and set. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Completely means completely, do not rush into the chocolate dipping step.

Step 4:

Melt the dark chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the chocolate and lay on parchment.

Immediately scatter a few pieces of candied ginger on the chocolate before it sets. This is my favorite part of the whole recipe.

Step 5:

Let the chocolate set at room temperature for about 30 minutes or pop the tray in the fridge for 10 minutes. Package them up as gifts or eat the whole batch yourself. No judgment here.

7. Gluten-Free Ginger Cookies

Yes, completely gluten free and yes, they are absolutely delicious. These thin, crisp cookies have a gorgeous texture and all that classic ginger flavor without a trace of wheat flour. You honestly would never know.

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine almond flour, tapioca starch, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well.

Make sure there are no clumps in the almond flour before adding the wet ingredients.

Step 2:

In a separate bowl whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until a dough forms.

The dough will be a little softer than traditional cookie dough and that is totally normal. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm it up.

Step 3:

Scoop the chilled dough into small balls and flatten slightly with your palm on the baking sheet. These spread a bit so give them 2 inches of space.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden. They will firm up a lot as they cool, so do not judge them straight out of the oven.

Step 4:

Cool fully on the pan before eating. These are crisp, snappy, and honestly easier than they sound. Even my non gluten free friends ask for the recipe every time.

8. Vegan Ginger Cookies

No eggs, no butter, no dairy. These vegan ginger cookies are soft in the center, lightly crisp at the edges, and loaded with that warm ginger spice we all love. You are going to make these on repeat.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)
Extra sugar for rolling

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare your baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Not sure what aquafaba is? It is literally just the liquid from a can of chickpeas. It replaces eggs perfectly in cookies like these.

Step 2:

Beat the softened coconut oil and sugar together in a large bowl until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and aquafaba and mix until smooth.

The mixture may look slightly separated at first. Keep mixing. It comes together. Trust the process.

Step 3:

Stir in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. It will come together into a nice scoopable dough. Roll into 1 inch balls, then roll each in extra granulated sugar.

Place 2 inches apart on your lined baking sheets.

Step 4:

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes until the edges are set and the tops have crackled. Let cool on the pan for 5 full minutes. These are seriously better than store bought vegan cookies by a mile.

9. Ginger Sugar Cookies

This one is so fun. A classic soft sugar cookie base but elevated with a generous hit of ground ginger. The cookies bake up thick, slightly crinkled, coated in sparkly granulated sugar. They are crowd pleasers every single time.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Step 2:

Beat the butter and sugar together until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and milk and beat until smooth. The longer you cream this, the better your cookies will be. Do not skip out early on this step.

Step 3:

Gradually mix in the flour mixture until a soft, cohesive dough forms. It should be slightly tacky but not sticky. If it feels too soft, chill for 20 minutes in the fridge.

Step 4:

Roll the dough into generous 1 1/2 inch balls and roll each one in granulated sugar until completely covered. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes.

The edges should be just barely golden. Centers will look soft. That is perfect. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer.

10. Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

Fall in a cookie. These pumpkin ginger cookies are soft, warmly spiced, and have this subtle sweetness from the pumpkin that makes them unlike any other ginger cookie on this list. A warm cup of tea and one of these? That is the whole vibe.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
Extra sugar for rolling

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. These spice combos smell absolutely incredible together.

Step 2:

Beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, egg, molasses, and vanilla. Mix well. The dough will look a bit more orange than usual and that is exactly right.

Step 3:

Stir in the flour mixture until combined. The dough will be softer than most cookie doughs because of the moisture in the pumpkin. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling. I burned the first batch once by skipping the chill time. Do not do that.

Step 4:

Roll chilled dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and coat in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until the edges are just set.

Step 5:

Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes. These stay soft for days stored in an airtight container. Honestly they might be even better on day two.

Final Thoughts

There you have it, ten ginger cookie recipes that cover every craving, every dietary need, and every season. Whether you go for the classic crispy snap or the decadent chocolate dipped version, you really cannot go wrong. Try one this week and let me know which one becomes your new favorite. Happy baking!