Name: Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 2 h 42 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 3/4 cup dark brown sugar; 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 1 tablespoon ground ginger; 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon orange zest; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft but still cool and cut into 12 pieces; 1 egg, room temperature; 3/4 cup molasses; 2 ounces at least 60% cacao semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped; 3 tablespoons meringue powder; 4 cups powdered sugar; 4-8 tablespoons water; 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

If you’re anything like me and you adore classic gingerbread cookies but crave something a little more decadent, then you’re going to flip for this Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe. It’s like your favorite holiday spice combo met rich cocoa and semisweet chocolate for the perfect dance party in your oven. I absolutely love how these cookies balance warm spices with a lovely chocolate depth—and you’ll find that once you try these, they’ll become a fast favorite in your cookie rotation.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Rich and Spiced Flavor: The blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cocoa powder gives these cookies a uniquely delicious taste.
Perfect Texture: Soft but crisp edges—thanks to chilling and freezing steps that lock in the right bite every time.
Great for Decorating: The royal icing holds up beautifully, making them ideal for festive cookie decorating parties.
Kid-Friendly and Gift-Worthy: My family goes crazy for these, and they make the best edible gifts for friends and neighbors.

The image shows a single gingerbread cookie shaped like a gingerbread person with one bite taken out of the head. The cookie is a dark brown color and decorated with a simple thick white icing outline that follows the shape of the cookie's edges. It is placed on a beige textured cloth, which lies on a white marbled surface. Part of a white cup with small red speckles can be seen behind the cookie. The overall setting is bright and softly lit. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies, gingerbread cookie recipe with chocolate, easy chocolate-spiced cookies, holiday gingerbread treats, decadent gingerbread cookies

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of this Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe is in its spice-forward but chocolate-rich combination that works beautifully together. A quick note: quality cocoa powder and dark chocolate will seriously up your cookie game, so don’t skimp here!

Flat lay of a small mound of all-purpose flour, a small white bowl filled with unsweetened cocoa powder, a small pile of dark brown sugar, a small white bowl of ground cinnamon, a small white bowl of ground ginger, a small white bowl of ground cloves, a few grains of salt scattered, a small white bowl with fresh orange zest, twelve pieces of unsalted butter cut into chunks, one whole uncracked brown egg, a small white bowl of dark molasses, a small pile of finely chopped semisweet chocolate, a small white bowl of white meringue powder, a large white bowl with powdered sugar, a small white bowl of clear water, and a small white bowl with vanilla extract placed in a balanced, symmetrical arrangement on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997 - Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies, gingerbread cookie recipe with chocolate, easy chocolate-spiced cookies, holiday gingerbread treats, decadent gingerbread cookies

All-purpose flour: The sturdy base for these cookies that ensures a perfect texture.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds deep chocolate flavor without extra sweetness.
Dark brown sugar: Gives moisture and a subtle caramel note that pairs well with the spices.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise just right, creating a tender crumb.
Cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves: Classic gingerbread spices that add warm, cozy notes.
Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
Orange zest: Adds a fresh citrus zing that brightens the chocolate and gingerbread spices.
Unsalted butter: Soft but cool—the key to a tender yet sturdy dough.
Egg: Binds everything together smoothly for easy rolling.
Molasses: Brings that signature deep, slightly bittersweet gingerbread flavor.
Semisweet chocolate: Finely chopped to distribute little bursts of rich chocolate throughout.
Meringue powder: Essential for making royal icing that dries hard and perfect for decorating.
Powdered sugar: The sweet base for the icing.
Water & vanilla extract: For thinning and flavoring the icing just right.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love making this Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe my own by swapping out a few ingredients or trying different decorating ideas. It really gives the recipe room to match your style or dietary needs.

Gluten-Free Version: I’ve tried using gluten-free flour blends and it works surprisingly well—just watch the dough closely when rolling as it can be a bit more fragile.
Spice It Up: Adding a pinch of black pepper or cardamom gives an exciting twist if you’re feeling adventurous.
Chocolate Variations: Using milk chocolate chunks instead of semisweet makes for a sweeter, creamier cookie if that’s what you prefer.
Vegan Adaptation: Swap the butter for vegan butter and use a flax egg in place of the egg; I’ve had good results with this combination.

How to Make Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients and Work in the Butter

Start by whisking together your flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking soda, and all those beautiful spices right in your mixer bowl—using the whisk attachment at low speed so everything gets nicely combined without a mess. When you add the cold, soft butter pieces, switch to medium-low speed and mix until it looks sandy, kind of like wet sand at the beach. This step is crucial; it creates that perfect crumbly texture you want before adding your wet ingredients.

Step 2: Incorporate the Chopped Chocolate and Wet Ingredients

Stir in the finely chopped semisweet chocolate so you get little chocolate gems all over your dough. Then swap to the paddle attachment and slowly pour in the molasses and egg mixture while the mixer runs on low. This gradual addition keeps the dough from getting too wet or lumpy. Once it’s slightly moist, bump up the speed to medium for a quick 15-second mix to make sure everything’s well-incorporated.

Step 3: Chill and Roll the Dough

Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and split into two halves. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour until it’s firm but not sticky—you’ll thank me later when rolling out gets so much easier. Roll each half between parchment paper to a 1/4-inch thickness, then stack the dough sheets and freeze for 15 minutes to firm up before cutting your cookie shapes.

Step 4: Cut, Freeze, and Bake

Take one dough sheet off the freezer and carefully peel off the top parchment sheet, flip the dough, and remove the bottom sheet. Use cookie cutters—gingerbread people or snowflakes are my favorites!—and arrange your shapes on parchment-lined baking sheets spaced about 3/4 inch apart. Before you bake, pop the trays back in the freezer for a few minutes to make sure the cookies hold their shape. Bake at 350°F for 8-12 minutes until just set. Let cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 5: Make and Decorate with Royal Icing

Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla, and water spaced out to get that perfect flow—thin enough to pipe nicely but thick enough to hold shape once dried. I usually start with 4 tablespoons of water and add more drop by drop until I get smooth, glossy icing. Beat it on high but gradually so you don’t end up with a powdered sugar cloud all over your kitchen! Once ready, load up a piping bag with a fine round tip and have fun decorating your cookies. My family and I always get creative with this part.

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Pro Tips for Making Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Chill, Chill, Chill: Don’t skip refrigerating and freezing steps—it prevents spreading and keeps your shapes crisp and clean.
Fine Chop the Chocolate: I discovered this trick when a few larger chunks weighed down some cookies unevenly; finely chopped chocolate distributes better.
Beat Icing Slowly: Increase your mixer speed gradually when making royal icing to avoid a powdered sugar explosion.
Use Parchment Paper Layers: Rolling between sheets makes cleanup easier and prevents dough from sticking or tearing while rolling.

How to Serve Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

The image shows two white mugs with red snowflake patterns near the top, filled with white milk, placed on a white marbled surface. In the foreground, there is a stack of dark brown gingerbread cookies shaped like gingerbread people, with three small white icing dots on top in a vertical line. Next to the stack, one gingerbread cookie is standing upright and decorated with white icing outlining the shape, with a bite taken out of its head. Small shiny Christmas ornaments in red, green, and silver are placed beside the mugs. The items rest on a light-colored cloth that adds texture to the scene. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies, gingerbread cookie recipe with chocolate, easy chocolate-spiced cookies, holiday gingerbread treats, decadent gingerbread cookies

Garnishes

I usually garnish these cookies with colorful sprinkles or edible glitter on my royal icing, especially around the edges for that extra festive sparkle. Sometimes I add tiny silver dragées for a classy holiday touch. Fresh orange zest sprinkled on top before the icing dries is another lovely option that highlights the citrus notes in the dough.

Side Dishes

These cookies go perfectly with a hot cup of spiced chai, mulled wine, or even classic eggnog. I’ve also served them with a platter of fresh fruit and nuts during holiday gatherings—balance out the sweetness and add some crunch.

Creative Ways to Present

For Christmas parties, I love arranging these Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe beauties on a tiered stand, alternating shapes and sizes. Wrapping a few in cellophane tied with ribbon makes for an instant, heartwarming gift. Last year, I even made a cookie “platter” shaped like a wreath by arranging cookies in a circle and decorating with royal icing holly leaves and berries—everyone was so impressed!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover cookies in an airtight container layered between parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. They stay fresh at room temperature for up to a week, though in my house, they rarely last that long!

Freezing

If you want to bake ahead, you can freeze the unbaked, cut dough sheets as instructed, or even freeze fully baked and decorated cookies. I wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in freezer bags. When ready, thaw decorated cookies at room temperature to avoid condensation ruining the icing.

Reheating

I don’t usually reheat gingerbread cookies since they’re best enjoyed at room temperature, but if you prefer them a bit warm, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave does the trick—just be careful not to heat too long or the icing might melt.

FAQs

Can I make this Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe without molasses?

Molasses is key to that traditional gingerbread depth, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute dark corn syrup or a combination of honey and brown sugar for a similar effect. Keep in mind that the flavor will be milder and sweeter, lacking the characteristic tang molasses provides.
How do I prevent my gingerbread cookies from spreading too much?

Chilling the dough before rolling and again after cutting your cookie shapes is essential. This recipe’s extra step of freezing the rolled dough sheets and cookie cutouts really helps cookies maintain their shape and gives you those crisp edges everyone loves.
Can I skip the royal icing and use a different decoration?

Absolutely! While royal icing is classic for decorated gingerbread cookies, you can also use store-bought icing, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or dip edges in melted chocolate for a simpler but delicious option.
What’s the best way to store decorated cookies to keep the icing intact?

Store completely dry decorated cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper layers at room temperature. Avoid stacking too many on top of each other and keep the container in a cool, dry place to prevent the icing from melting or smudging.

Final Thoughts

This Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my heart because it takes the nostalgic charm of gingerbread but adds that little chocolate twist that everyone secretly craves. If you want cookies that smell heavenly, taste like a warm hug with a hint of cocoa, and take center stage at holiday gatherings, this recipe is your go-to. Give it a try—you’ll enjoy every step from mixing sweet spices in your kitchen to decorating with your favorite colors. Trust me, once you make these, you’ll be the cookie hero of your friends and family!