Soft Easy Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

I was NEVER a gingerbread cookie kind of person until this Soft Easy Whole Wheat Ginger Bread Cookie Recipe! These cookies melt in your mouth and the dark bold gingerbread cookie flavor is out of this world. 

This is the ONLY Soft Easy Whole Wheat Ginger Bread Cookie Recipe I will ever make. 

Good tried and true whole-grain cookie recipes can be hard to come by, so these whole grain gingerbread cookies are an absolute must-try if you are a fan of the gingerbread flavor in any way!

What kind of freshly milled whole wheat flour should I use?

This is my quick guide for what kind of flour to use in different baking items. In cookies, pretty much always use soft wheat. It seems to work best with any sort of sweet baked goods like that. 

Best Uses For Your White and Red Whole Grains

Best Uses For Hard Red Winter Wheat Hard Rolls

Noodles 

Flat Breads 

Cereal. 

Pancakes 

Waffles

Muffins

Best use For Soft Red Winter

Crackers 

Pretzels 

Pastries 

Flat Breads

Cookies

Best uses For Hard White Wheat

Pan Breads 

Flat Bread

Muffins 

Noodles

Pancakes 

Waffles

Best Uses For Soft White Wheat

Cookies

Pastries 

Cakes

Flat Breads 

What kind of sweeteners should I use?

We prefer coconut sugar in this gingerbread cookie recipe, it is strong and brings through a fabulous flavor. If all you have on hand is brown sugar, that works too!

I have never tried maple syrup or honey in this recipe, so I can’t speak to that either way… I will certainly not say though, that you can’t try it!

Can I substitute with all-purpose flour?

Of course, you can use any flour you choose. As you probably already have seen there are many reasons we use freshly milled whole grains. That being said, use what you currently have on hand if that is your best option. 

The health benefits of sticking to whole grain flour are well worth your time, looking into. 

What kind of molasses is best to use?

This is a great question… You can use just regular molasses, however, hear. me. out. Blackstrap molasses brings flavor through these AMAZING soft easy whole wheat gingerbread cookies that, just doesn’t happen with any other molasses.

If you like a lighter gingerbread cookie taste, then absolutely use the lighter molasses. 

Cookie Cutter Options

Many would probably use a gingerbread man cookie cutter. Your favorite cookie cutters will do the trick.

In our house, we usually cut out cookies with a biscuit cutter and it works great. 

Be as creative as your heart desires though, different shapes won’t change the taste.

Soft Easy Whole Wheat Ginger Bread Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

* 3 cups soft white wheat

* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

* 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1 tablespoon ground ginger

* 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

* 3/4 cup coconut sugar

* 1 large egg

* 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses

* 2 teaspoons vanilla

* 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350ºF
2. In a small bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
3. In a large bowl electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
4. Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
5. Gradually stir dry ingredients into your wet ingredients until blended and smooth.
6. Divide dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
7. (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case, it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 375°.
8. Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
9. Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
10. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
11. Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
12. Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
13. Cut out cookies with the desired cutter– the gingerbread man is our favorite of course.
14. Space cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.
15. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies– very good!).
16. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
17. After the cookies are cool you may decorate them with traditional royal icing. Or, you can dust them with powdered sugar and call it good!

How to store this easy soft gingerbread cookie.

If you are just storing the cookie dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and just leave it in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 4 days. That is when we try to use it by. 

If you are storing these healthier gingerbread cookies fully baked, then store them either in an airtight container or in a ziplock bag. These soft gingerbread cookies rarely make it that long in our house, so I have yet to figure out exactly how long they could last. We would eat them up to a week after they are baked though.  

If you enjoyed this recipe, check out the post below.

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Only one life to offer,

Andrea