Our Best Gingerbread Recipes - MyRecipes (2024)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

The gingerbread flavor profile, i.e. rich molasses paired with warming spices,isn’t just for cookies and houses—it’s also fantastic in cakes, muffins, fudge, and more. Yes, we’ve got plenty of gingerbread cookie recipes, but don’t forget to take a look at all that gingerbread has to offer. These gingerbread recipes will make your holiday season all the more memorable.

Gingerbread Roulade and Eggnog Cream

Gingerbread Cake Roll with Eggnog Cream Recipe

Made with fresh ginger, bourbon, and molasses, this dark, spicy gingerbread cake pairs wonderfully with the light and creamy eggnog filling. This cake does need to chill for at least 8 hours, so make sure you plan ahead. Dust the top of this gingerbread cake roll with powdered sugar for an extra holiday touch. When it comes to your ginger, choose clean knobs of fresh ginger root with smooth, shiny skin. Store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and use it before it begins to shrivel. Remove the peel with a vegetable peeler or the tip of a metal spoon.

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

The iconic gingerbread man cookie is a favorite holiday tradition. Plus, gingerbread man cut-outs are a great holiday project to get the kids involved with—especially when it comes time to decorate. Though these gingerbread cookies are a little more involved than easy drop cookies, the nostalgic spiced treats are well worth the effort. To break up the process, the gingerbread cookie dough can be made in advance and refrigerated until you’re ready to roll; just be sure that it is tightly covered. For more ginger-spiced dessert inspiration, check out these gingerbread desserts that go beyond cookies.

Gingerbread Java

Gingerbread Java Recipe

Deborah Biggs of Omaha, Nebraska, loves gingerbread so much that she decided to put its flavors right into her coffee. The result? A not-too-sweet drink that warms you from head to toe. If your holiday party falls on a rainy, cold night, consider serving it instead of eggnog.

Iced Gingerbread Biscotti

Iced Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe

Be sure to let the cookie logs cool after the first bake so they slice cleanly and don't crumble.

Gingerbread Cake with Buttermilk Frosting

Gingerbread Cake with Buttermilk Frosting Recipe

Warm spices and molasses blend beautifully with tangy buttermilk frosting.

Gingerbread Cookie Eggnog Ice Cream Sandwiches image

Gingerbread Cookie Eggnog Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

Featuring gingerbread cookies and eggnog ice cream, these decadent ice cream sandwiches are the holiday flavor mashup of the season. While we opted to use store-bought mix and ice cream for convenience, you could certainly use your favorite from-scratch gingerbread and eggnog ice cream recipes if you’d prefer to go the homemade route. (Quick tip: You can make your own easy eggnog ice cream simply by pouring a container of eggnog into your ice cream maker and processing according to the manufacturer’s instructions.) Miniature versions of these sweet, spirits dessert sandwiches could also be made using a small round cookie cutter.

EC: Turn a Gingerbread House into a Crazy-Good Pie Crust

Gingerbread House Pie Crust Recipe

Holiday treats are pretty freakin’ great. But once the celebration is over, everything changes. You may be stuck with a leftover gingerbread house right now, and what started out as festive décor is now just a massive cookie taking up space in your home. I mean, who even eats gingerbread houses anyway? They might look tasty, but biting into one would be bad news. You’ll be left with more regret than teeth. So what does any normal food-loving human do? Make a gingerbread pie crust, obviously. This is right up there with stuffing churros with leftover Halloween candy, because we’re ridiculous like that. And hungry.

Sure, a stale gingerbread house canbeedible—just not in its current form. But a food processor can turn it into crumbly, sugary, non-food-wasting joy. Then you can use it in a gingersnap-crusted French toast or pancake batter. You can make a flavored cream cheese or add it to oatmeal, granola, or yogurt. In other words, it can be used in everything and anything.

But since pie crust is the hardest part about making pie, it only makes sense to use crumbs from a leftover gingerbread house. All you need is butter and a sweet tooth to make it happen. Done and done.

Gingerbread Pie Crust

Yields: 1 9-inch pie crust
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Gingerbread Dog Cookies image

Gingerbread Dog Cookies Recipe

There’s no sweeter way to let your furry best friend join in on the holiday fun than baking up a batch of these lightly spiced, fido-friendly “gingerbread” treats.

Bourbon-Pecan-Gingerbread Cookies

Bourbon-Pecan-Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Important: Bake the dough while cold; otherwise, it will spread too much and the cookies will lose their fluffy texture.

Fresh Gingerbread Squares image

Fresh Gingerbread Squares Recipe

Teff flour is a soft, almost-fluffy whole-grain flour with an intense nuttiness that makes it excellent for baking. But the beauty of fresh gingerbread is finding the perfect texture--delicate yet dense--so we add a bit of hearty whole-wheat flour to give this treat a heftier, more winter-worthy base. Stout beer adds a pleasantly earthy bitterness that complements the molasses, fresh ginger, and cinnamon; any frothy leftovers will pair nicely with a still-warm baked square. If you don't have any stout on hand, simply use 1/4 cup additional buttermilk instead.

Gingerbread-and-Pear Upside-Down Cake

Upside Down Pear-and-Gingerbread Cake Recipe

This is the perfect cake for a week night treat or a casual holiday party. A layer of tender, caramelized pears tops this richly spiced skillet upside down cake. When it is time to put the batter into the pan, use an offset spatula to gently spread the batter without disturbing the layer of pears underneath.

Gingerbread Cheesecake with Lemon-Ginger Glaze

Gingerbread Cheesecake with Lemon-Ginger Glaze Recipe

Lemon and ginger make a lively duo, as you’ll see in this bright and tangy cheesecake. The glaze can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Spoon it over the cheesecake just before serving.

Classic Gingerbread Cookies image

Classic Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

These gingerbread cookies are sweet and not too gingery- perfect for the kids and just how you remember them. This recipe is also great for gingerbread houses. Roll the dough 1/4" thick, cut out house, and bake at 325 until firm (about 20 minutes). Rotate the pan after 10 minutes and use bold molasses for even baking and optimal flavor.

Buckwheat Gingerbread Muffins

Buckwheat Gingerbread Muffins Recipe

Earthy buckwheat is blended with ginger, spices, molasses, and toasty-tasting brown rice flour to make an unexpectedly light muffin that's great with sour cream or butter. Be scrupulous in your timing with the food processor; "overprocessing buckwheat flour can make the muffins mushy," Medrich says. For more on the ingredients, see "Power Flours," below.

Spicy Molasses Gingerbread People image

Spicy Molasses Gingerbread People Recipe

We gave the traditional gingerbread cookies a kick with warm spices, orange and lemon zests, and the deep flavor of molasses. The icing is made with meringue powder, which can be found at craft or baking supply stores.

Gingerbread Latte image

Copycat Gingerbread Latte Recipe

Who needs to make a trip to the cafe when you can make your favorite holiday drinks at home? This gingerbread latte has everything you love about gingerbread and java in one delightfully caffeinated drink. If you can't steam milk at home, warm the milk slowly in a saucepan and froth the milk by shaking it in a tightly sealed jar, using a frother, or whisking thoroughly while heating.

Gingerbread Loaf

Gingerbread Loaf Recipe

A double dose of ginger and the right sweeteners give this loaf huge flavor.

Salted Caramel Gingerbread Poke Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting image

Salted Caramel Gingerbread Poke Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

The flavors of gingerbread, salted caramel filling, and pumpkin cream cheese frosting marry to become the ultimate fall and holiday poke cake. This cake is a great snack cake or dessert and it's pretty enough to serve to guests. One taste and you're sure to bring this cake to potlucks all season long.

Gingerbread Scones With Lemon Glaze

Gingerbread Scones with Lemon Glaze Recipe

Serve these scones fresh out of the oven for a special holiday treat. A light drizzle of lemon glaze is just the boost of decadence they need.

Gingerbread Squares with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Gingerbread Squares with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Lemon-cream cheese frosting dresses up these gingerbread squares. Cut into triangles and serve at a holiday tea.

Gingerbread Baked Alaska

Gingerbread Baked Alaska Recipe

The mixing bowl from a heavy-duty stand mixer makes a perfect mold for assembling the cake and ice cream. Be sure your plastic wrap extends well beyond your bowl to completely cover your cake and ice cream mixture.

Cherry-Gingerbread Muffins

Cherry-Gingerbread Muffins Recipe

Wheat bran and yogurt bump up the protein and fiber so you'll stay fueled. Mashed banana adds moisture and sweetness without noticeable banana flavor, while browned butter lends nutty depth.

Gingerbread Critter Cookies

Gingerbread Critter Cookies Recipe

Adorable squirrel-shaped cookies make a fun addition to your autumn table.

Gingerbread Latte Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting

Gingerbread Latte Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

If your holiday season officially starts with a gingerbread latte, this is the cake of your coffee-loving dreams. Three layers of spicy gingerbread are brushed with Espresso Simple Syrup and then covered in fluffy Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting.

Gingerbread Fudge image

Gingerbread Fudge Recipe

This gingerbread fudge is the perfect “something different” to add to your holiday confections spread. Offering all of the toasty, familiar flavors of gingerbread and the creamy-rich texture of your favorite fudge, it’s the perfect mash-up of two holiday favorites. Plus, in keeping with the classic marshmallow fluff base, we’ve also kept this homemade holiday candy as easy as can be to mix up. We topped our gingerbread fudge with crushed gingersnap cookies and crystalized ginger for a little added oomph, but you could stir in toasted walnuts or pecans for crunch if you prefer. This holiday fudge recipe yields plenty for sharing, just be sure to store the fudge in the refrigerator when you’re finished snacking.

Gingerbread Gift Boxes

Gingerbread Gift Boxes Recipe

Delight neighbors and coworkers with edible gingerbread boxes this year.Fill boxes with candy (gumdrops, miniature candy canes and hard candies work well) and place lids on top. Wrap in cellophane and tie with a ribbon.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

These classic Gingerbread Cookies are a hoilday favorite. But don't wait for the holidays to bake a batch. With molasses and fragrant spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, these cookies will be a welcome all year long.

Gingerbread Muffins with Spiced Nut Streusel

Gingerbread Muffins with Spiced Nut Streusel Recipe

Bake these easy, melt-in-your-mouth muffins ahead of time, let them cool, and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat muffins in the oven or microwave for a fast breakfast snack to go.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies Recipe

These sweet little cookies make an adorable topper for our Best White Cake recipe along with a few rosemary trees. While you’ll only need a few for the top of the cake, the recipe leaves you with plenty more for Christmas cookie exchanges or Santa. We picked a few of our favorite cookie cutters: doe, cabin, and a car, but you can pick any shape you want.Decorate them simply with a few dots of royal icing, or get creative with sprinkles and frosting.

Gingerbread People

Gingerbread People Recipe

For a whimsical presentation, arrange these cookies in a lunch box lined with colorful packing paper. Use a variety of cookie cutter sizes to create "families." If you don't want to cut the dough into shapes, roll it into two logs, cover, chill, and slice into 1/8-inch rounds. Refrigerate the dough up to three days, or freeze up to one month.