Eggless Gingerbread Cookies
Soft, chewy eggless gingerbread cookies made with molasses, brown sugar, and warm holiday spices. No eggs, rolling pin, or cookie cutters required!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter unsalted, softened (170g)
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar packed (150g)
- ¼ cup molasses unsulphured, not blackstrap (85g)
- 3 tablespoons milk whole or 2% (45mL)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (270g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and dark brown sugar with a hand mixer for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the molasses and beat until incorporated.
- Add the milk and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. The mixture may look slightly separated; that's okay.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed or fold with a spatula just until a soft dough forms. Don't overmix.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the dough is easy to scoop and roll.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Scoop the dough with a 1½-inch cookie scoop, roll into balls, then coat each ball in granulated sugar.
- Arrange cookies about 2½–3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are crackled but the centers still look slightly soft. About 11 minutes is a good starting point.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap.
- Chill the dough before rolling to make it easier to handle.
- Don't overbake! The cookies will continue setting as they cool.
- For thicker cookies, chill the dough longer.
- For flatter cookies, allow chilled dough to warm slightly or gently flatten before baking.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for 4-5 days to help maintain their soft texture.