Gordon Ramsay’s gingerbread cookies use his signature spice blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with black treacle (molasses) for that dark, sticky sweetness you cannot get from sugar alone. You roll the dough out, cut your shapes, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes until firm at the edges but still slightly soft in the middle.
Gordon uses this same spice combination in his gingerbread cake, and I adapted it for christmas cookies because the flavour is stronger than any gingerbread recipe I had tried before. This easy gingerbread cookies recipe needs chilling for 2 hours before you roll it, so start it early if you want to bake the same day.
Try More Cookie Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Shortbread Cookies Recipe
What Makes The Best Gingerbread Cookies?
Black treacle. Most recipes use golden syrup or light molasses, but Gordon goes dark and that is where the deep spice flavour comes from, plus the treacle keeps the biscuits soft inside instead of drying out.
The second thing is using fresh ground spices, not the ones sitting in the back of the cupboard for two years. I replaced my old ground ginger once and the cookies tasted completely different.
Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients
- 340g (2¾ cups) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150g (¾ cup) dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 80ml (⅓ cup) black treacle (molasses)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Royal icing for decorating (optional)
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Gingerbread Cookies
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, black treacle, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Chill: Wrap the dough in cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Roll and cut: Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F), roll the dough out to about 5mm thick on a well-floured surface, and cut into shapes.
- Bake: Place on a lined tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until firm at the edges but still slightly soft on top.
- Cool and decorate: Cool fully on a wire rack before adding royal icing if you want.
What Are Common Mistakes When Making Gingerbread?
Skipping the chill is the worst one. The dough is too sticky to roll straight after mixing, and if you force it the cookies spread and lose their shape, so two hours in the fridge is not optional.
Overbaking is the other mistake I see. Gingerbread should come out looking slightly underdone because it firms up as it cools, and if it looks done in the oven it will be hard and dry by the time it hits room temperature.
What Is The Secret To Soft Gingerbread Cookies?
Treacle, because the sugar in it holds moisture and keeps the biscuits chewy inside even after a few days. Golden syrup works but gives a lighter, less sticky result.
Pulling them from the oven early helps too. I take mine out when the centres still look slightly puffed and soft, then leave them on the tray for 10 minutes where they firm up to exactly the right texture.
What Do You Serve Gingerbread Cookies With?
A mug of hot chocolate or spiced tea is the classic pairing, and it works because the warm drink brings out the ginger and cinnamon. I also serve them alongside the chocolate mousse for a christmas dessert spread.
For a biscuit tin gift, mix them with the shortbread cookies and the oatmeal cookies. Three different textures in one tin looks impressive and takes about the same effort as one big batch.
How Long Do Gingerbread Cookies Last?
Longer than most cookies because the treacle acts as a preservative. Un-iced gingerbread keeps for 2 weeks in an airtight tin at room temperature, but once you add icing eat them within a week.
The raw dough keeps in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months. I usually make the dough one evening and bake it the next day, which also makes the spice flavour stronger.
FAQs
- Can I make gingerbread cookies without molasses? You can use golden syrup or dark corn syrup instead, but the flavour will be milder and lighter. Black treacle gives that deep, almost smoky taste that defines proper gingerbread.
- Can I use this dough for a gingerbread house? Yes, but roll it thicker at about 8mm and bake for 12 to 14 minutes so the pieces are sturdy enough to stand. Use royal icing as the glue.
- Why is my gingerbread dough too sticky to roll? It has not chilled long enough. Put it back in the fridge for another hour and flour your surface heavily before rolling.
More Cookie Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay PB&J Cookies Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Cowboy Cookies Recipe
- All 8 Gordon Ramsay Cookie Recipes
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Total Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
- Sodium: 110mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 22g
- Protein: 2g
Gordon Ramsay Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
24
servings20
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minutesGordon Ramsay’s gingerbread cookies use his signature spice blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with black treacle (molasses) for that dark, sticky sweetness you cannot get from sugar alone. You roll the dough out, cut your shapes, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes until firm at the edges but still slightly soft in the middle.
Gordon uses this same spice combination in his gingerbread cake, and I adapted it for christmas cookies because the flavour is stronger than any gingerbread recipe I had tried before. This easy gingerbread cookies recipe needs chilling for 2 hours before you roll it, so start it early if you want to bake the same day.
Ingredients
340g (2¾ cups) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g (¾ cup) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
80ml (⅓ cup) black treacle (molasses)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Royal icing for decorating (optional)
Directions
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, black treacle, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Chill: Wrap the dough in cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Roll and cut: Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F), roll the dough out to about 5mm thick on a well-floured surface, and cut into shapes.
- Bake: Place on a lined tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until firm at the edges but still slightly soft on top.
- Cool and decorate: Cool fully on a wire rack before adding royal icing if you want.
