soft stamped gingerbread cookies

Easily one of my favorite cookies of all time, these spiced soft stamped gingerbread cookies are perfect for the holiday season.

Dare I say, this is my favorite cookie…ever? It’s just so pretty. And the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to design. Metal cookie stamps, plunger style cookie cutters, engraved rolling pins, springerle molds, gingerbread molds, even the bottoms of some glassware can make a pretty impression. This is the recipe I like to use for a soft, chewy, slightly thick, well spiced gingerbread cookie (that is very similar to Tartine) that can be prepared two ways: rolling and cutting like cut out cookies or scooping balls and stamping. Both ways work really well, and it just depends on what process you’re in the mood to do. Scooping balls is a tiny bit easier, though.

These cookies were rolled dough that I stamped with plunger cutters from Target’s dollar section (gingerbread people and trees) and King Arthur Flour (houses).

ingredients in soft stamped gingerbread cookies

• butter– I always use unsalted butter in my recipes so I can accurately tell you how much salt to add, but the truth is that when I’m just baking personally, I use salted butter and nothing is ever too salty. Use what you have, but make sure that it has come to room temperature, about 66-70 degrees. Butter straight out of the fridge will not cream as well, which will either require too much creaming (creating too aerated of a mixture) or the final dough will have little pebbles of butter that will melt in the oven, causing uneven cookies. Make sure the butter hasn’t softened too much and become melty or squishy.
• sugar– Granulated sugar helps this cookie have a crisper edge.
• brown sugar– This recipe also uses brown sugar, which adds a flavor boost as well as extra softness and chew to the cookie.
• molasses– essential for the gingerbread flavor
• vanilla– Vanilla is for flavor in this recipe, and I recommend using vanilla bean paste instead of extract if you can. I love to use vanilla bean paste because the flavor is more intense, but vanilla extract is great as well. I love The Spice House, Heilala, and Nielsen-Massey. (Make sure to check your local Costco store for big jars of Nielsen-Massey at an amazing price!)
• egg– An egg will give the cookie structure and tenderness.
• salt- Diamond Crystal kosher salt is the best for baking, so I recommend grabbing a box if you can. It will last you for a long time if you just use it for baking! If you don’t have this type of salt, swap for regular table salt and use half the amount called for.
• flour– Flour provides the structure for this cookie, and this recipe has the perfect amount for the dough to both hold its shape, yet not be too floury and dry.
• baking soda– The leavener in this recipe.
• cinnamon– This is my favorite cinnamon from The Spice House, but they also have this set to taste test all of the varieties so you can discover which you like best.
• ginger– An important flavor in gingerbread cookies (obviously). Here’s a link to The Spice House ginger.
• nutmeg– A little nutmeg goes a long way, but it’s an important warming spice in gingerbread.
• cloves– Another warming spice that adds flavor to gingerbread.

*You can use my code EMILYLOGGANS at The Spice House for 10% off your purchase.*

supplies needed to make soft stamped gingerbread cookies

• hand mixer or stand mixer– A stand mixer makes this process so incredibly easy, but a hand mixer works just fine, especially if you’re just making a single batch.
• spatula– A spatula is essential to scrape down the bowl throughout the process. Without scraping, you’ll end up with an unevenly mixed dough and cookies that are inconsistent. 
• scale– If there’s one thing I can convince you of, please let it be a kitchen scale. 🙏🏻Using a scale makes everything easier with baking, and it ensures you get the same results every time. Flour is so easy to over-add with volume measurements, and a scale solves that problem.
• parchment paper– I always roll my dough between two sheets of pre-cut parchment paper, which is by far the best way to roll out dough.
• guided rolling pin– Rolling dough evenly is tricky with a regular rolling pin, but with a guided rolling pin, dough comes out evenly every time. It’s such a time saver and one of my favorite kitchen tools.
• baking sheets– I use these cookie sheets for years, and they are amazing. 
• cookie stamps– There are so many options for cookie stamps out there, but my favorites are Nordic Ware. You could also use plunger impression cutters or an embossed rolling pin.

how to make soft stamped gingerbread cookies

The dough for these cookies can be prepared two ways: rolling and cutting like cut out cookies or scooping balls and stamping. Both ways work really well, and it just depends on what process you’re in the mood to do. Scooping balls is a tiny bit easier, though. Keep in mind your cutter shape. If you’re doing round stamps, then you can do either method. If your cutters are shaped like the ones in the image below (gingerbread men, houses, trees, etc.), then you’ll have to do the roll out method.

success tips for making soft stamped gingerbread cookies

• Using a scale will help give you my same results. If you don’t use a scale, the cookies could turn out differently. Weighing flour and sugar is the most important.
• If you don’t have Diamond Crystal kosher salt, I totally recommend you get some. It is amazing and the perfect salt for baking and cooking. I know it seems expensive, but this box will last for so long. Also, you can use my code LINENANDGRAY for 10% off at The Spice House.
• I use Nordic Ware cookie stamps. You can get them on Amazon, Williams Sonoma, Sur la Table, Target, and Kohl’s.
• I also used this Holiday Pop Out Village set from King Arthur Flour.
• You can make this dough ahead and leave in the refrigerator for up to four days. Leave it out of the fridge for about an hour to bring it to room temperature before rolling or pressing.
• This recipe makes about two to three dozen cookies depending on size.
• A pastry brush is one of those things you may not have, but if you’re shopping for the cutters at King Arthur, you could grab this one. Here’s another option for a silicone pastry brush set. I prefer silicone to real bristles because the bristles can fall out.

Don’t let cookie stamps scare you! The biggest trick to getting clean stamps is working with chilled dough, greasing the stamps with a little scrap of dough and dipping in flour or sugar. Let me know if you make them this holiday season! 🤎

watch how to make soft stamped gingerbread cookies

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