For Christmas baking, you can't go wrong with a dash of ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. The gingerbread flavor brings holiday cheer to all sorts of baked goods!
Our Best-Ever Gingerbread Recipes
Updated on Sep. 26, 2024
From recipes to tips, decorations to inspiration, find everything you might need with our Ultimate Gingerbread Baking & Decorating Guide.
2/26
Gingerbread Men Cookies
Total Time
50 min
Servings
about 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
No holiday treat platter would be complete without a gingerbread men cookie recipe! This is a tried-and-true recipe I’m happy to share with you. —Mitzi Sentiff, Annapolis, Maryland
3/26
Gingerbread Spritz
Total Time
40 min
Servings
about 11-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I get so busy during the Christmas season that cutout cookies are a hassle. But I love gingerbread and spritz cookies so I combined my favorite recipes and was pleased at the results.—Sherry Gazelka, Iron, Minnesota
4/26
Gingerbread Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The rich molasses and spice flavor of this old-time dessert is complemented with a buttery caramel sauce.—Joy Sparks, Muskegon, Michigan
5/26
Gingerbread Yule Logs
Total Time
45 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I was never fond of gingerbread until I rolled it up with Nutella. These logs are a fabulous addition to any cookie platter. —Terri Gilson, Calgary, Alberta
6/26
Gingerbread Pudding Cake
Total Time
2 hours 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Super-moist cake gets all spiced up in this scrumptious slow-cooked dessert. If you want it a little sweeter, drizzle it with maple syrup. —Barbara Cook, Yuma, Arizona
7/26
Citrus Gingerbread Cookies
Total Time
50 min
Servings
6 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Orange and lemon zest give gingerbread cutouts a refreshing twist. Brushing a honey glaze over the top adds a subtle shine and an extra touch of sweetness. —Monique Hooker, DeSoto, Wisconsin
8/26
Gluten-Free Gingerbread
Total Time
55 min
Servings
3 mini loaves (6 slices each)
From the Recipe Creator:
I only cook and bake gluten-free foods, and when I give these molasses-spiked loaves to friends, no one can taste the difference. —Erin Mendelssohn, La Quinta, California
Looking for more recipes? Learn how to make these gluten-free gingerbread cookies at home.
9/26
Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Every time I make these wonderful cookies, the spicy aroma takes me back to my childhood. I helped Mom make them and delivered them to neighbors. —Kara Cook, Elk Ridge, Utah
10/26
Contest-Winning Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce
Total Time
50 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I asked my mother-in-law for this recipe once I learned it's my husband's favorite. Now I bake it whenever he needs an extra-special treat. Spice cake topped with lemony sauce makes us both smile. —Kristen Oak, Pocatello, Idaho
11/26
Crystallized Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies
Total Time
40 min
Servings
9 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is the best of twp worlds—gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies. Since they're combined, you don't have to choose between them. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
12/26
Gingerbread Snowflakes
Total Time
40 min
Servings
5 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Cutting my favorite gingerbread cookie dough into snowflake shapes and decorating them with white icing was ideal for my theme get-together. I save these crunchy treats to enjoy on the way home from our Christmas tree outing.
—Shelly Rynearson, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
13/26
Gingerbread Buttermilk Waffles
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 waffles
From the Recipe Creator:
We created this recipe so folks could enjoy the festive flavor of gingerbread at breakfast. For a pretty look, sprinkle the waffles with confectioners’ sugar.— Taste of Home Test Kitchen
14/26
Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Cookie butter and ground ginger add a new layer of flavor. The recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies, and they go fast. You may want to make a double batch. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
15/26
Gingerbread Cookies
Total Time
40 min
Servings
5 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Our two boys linger around the kitchen when these homemade gingerbread cookies are baking. I make this gingerbread cookie recipe throughout the year using a variety of cookie cutters. —Christy Thelan, Kellogg, Iowa
16/26
Gingerbread Syrup
Total Time
50 min
Servings
2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
Here’s a wonderful treat for the winter. Stir a tablespoon of this syrup into coffee, tea or cider. Drizzle it over pancakes, hot cereal or yogurt. Or use it as a glaze for roast chicken or pork chops! — Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
17/26
Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Total Time
40 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
At our house, we love gingerbread that’s not too sweet. To sweeten it, mix confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla extract for drizzling on top. —Barbara Humiston, Tampa, Florida
18/26
Easy Gingerbread Pancakes
Total Time
10 min
Servings
12 pancakes
From the Recipe Creator:
Molasses and spices turn an ordinary pancake mix into a special breakfast. These are so easy to make that you can have them any day of the week. —Trina Stewart, Yacolt, Washington
19/26
Gingerbread Meringue Bars
Total Time
50 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
For the best of both worlds, I combined my grandmother's gingerbread recipe with my aunt's special brown sugar meringue. The result? These lovable holiday-perfect bars that have become a new family tradition. —Eden Dranger, Los Angeles, California
20/26
Gingerbread Belgian Waffles
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 waffles (1-1/2 cups icing)
From the Recipe Creator:
I like to combine the sweet and spicy taste of gingerbread with the cool and dreamy taste of cream cheese frosting. It's a heavenly way to start the day! —Jannine Fisk, Malden, Massachusetts
21/26
Pear Upside-Down Gingerbread
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I prefer to bake from scratch, but this Christmasy cake mix recipe is a favorite. For a change of pace, use apples and walnuts in place of the pears and pecans. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
22/26
Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
Total Time
15 min
Servings
3 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? If not, this special cocoa will do the trick. It’s like drinking a chocolate gingerbread cookie! —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, AZ
23/26
Big Soft Ginger Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These nicely spiced, big soft ginger cookies are perfect for folks who like the flavor of ginger but don't care for crunchy gingersnaps. —Barbara Gray, Boise, Idaho
24/26
Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes
Total Time
55 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These luscious cupcakes have a touch of semisweet chocolate in the batter and white chocolate in the filling. They melt away fast at our house. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
25/26
Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These moist, delicious ginger cookies have an old-fashioned appeal that'll take you back to Grandma's kitchen. I'm never surprised when these treats disappear quickly from my cookie jar.—Bernice Smith, Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota
26/26
Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches
Total Time
40 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
When it comes to making an ice cream sandwich, not all gingerbread men are created equal. Some are too crispy; others too soft, but these thin yet sturdy boys hold up nice in the freezer and make for a whimsical make-ahead dessert. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
