Perfect Gingerbread Ratio
5 : 2 : 2
Flour : Molasses+Sugar : Butter
375g + 300g + 170g + spices
= 9x13" cake or 24+ gingerbread cookies
Classic Soft Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour 375g (3 cups)
- Unsalted butter (melted) 170g (¾ cup)
- Molasses (unsulphured) 150g (½ cup)
- Brown sugar (packed) 150g (¾ cup)
- Large egg 1 egg
- Boiling water 240ml (1 cup)
- Baking soda 1½ tsp
- Ground ginger 1 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon 1 tsp
- Ground cloves ¼ tsp
- Salt ½ tsp
Instructions
- 1. Preheat 350°F. Grease 9x13" pan.
- 2. Mix flour + spices + salt + baking soda.
- 3. In separate bowl: melted butter + brown sugar + molasses + egg.
- 4. Add boiling water to wet mixture (will look thin - that's OK!).
- 5. Pour wet into dry. Stir until just combined (don't overmix).
- 6. Pour into pan. Batter will be very thin.
- 7. Bake 35-40 min until toothpick comes out clean.
- 8. Cool 15 min. Serve warm with whipped cream.
🍯 Molasses Types Matter!
Use unsulphured (light or dark) molasses. Blackstrap = too bitter, too strong. Light = milder, Dark = robust traditional flavor (recommended!).
Gingerbread Cookies (Crisp or Soft)
Cookie Version
Same ingredients but different ratios for rollable dough:
- All-purpose flour 375g (3 cups)
- Butter (softened, not melted) 170g (¾ cup)
- Molasses 80ml (¼ cup)
- Brown sugar 150g (¾ cup)
- Egg 1 egg
- Baking soda 1 tsp
- Spices (same as cake) 1 tbsp ginger + 1 tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp cloves
Cookie Instructions
- 1. Cream butter + sugar until fluffy.
- 2. Beat in egg + molasses.
- 3. Mix flour + spices + baking soda + salt.
- 4. Add dry to wet, mix until dough forms.
- 5. Chill dough 1-2 hours (must chill!).
- 6. Roll to ¼" thick. Cut shapes.
- 7. Crisp cookies: Bake 350°F 10-12 min.
- 8. Soft cookies: Bake 325°F 8-10 min (underbake slightly).
- 9. Cool on pan 5 min, then wire rack.
- 10. Decorate with royal icing when cool.
Gingerbread Styles Comparison
| Style | Texture | Key Difference | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gingerbread Cake | Soft, moist, tender | Uses boiling water (thin batter) | Holiday dessert, serve with whipped cream |
| Soft Gingerbread Cookies | Chewy, tender, puffy | Underbake slightly, less molasses | Cookie trays, eating fresh |
| Crisp Gingerbread Cookies | Crispy, crunchy, snappy | Bake longer, roll thinner | Decorating, gingerbread houses |
| German Lebkuchen | Dense, sticky, spiced | Uses honey, more nuts, glaze on top | Traditional German Christmas |
Spice Blend Guide
Classic Gingerbread Spices
Traditional Ratio (per 3 cups flour):
- • 1 tbsp (3 tsp) ground ginger
- • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- • ¼ tsp ground cloves
- • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
Shortcut: Use 2 tbsp gingerbread spice mix (store-bought)
Spice Intensity Options
- Mild (Kid-Friendly): Reduce ginger to 2 tsp, omit cloves
- Classic: 1 tbsp ginger + 1 tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp cloves
- Extra Spicy: 4 tsp ginger + ½ tsp black pepper + ½ tsp cloves
- Chai-Spiced: Add ½ tsp cardamom + ¼ tsp allspice
Gingerbread House Construction
Extra-Sturdy Dough for Building
Modifications for structural integrity:
- • Add extra 60g (½ cup) flour = stiffer dough
- • Reduce molasses to 60ml (3 tbsp) = less moisture
- • Roll to ¼" thick for walls, ⅛" for roof
- • Bake 12-15 min until very firm
- • Let pieces dry overnight before assembly
Royal icing "glue":
- • 3 egg whites + 500g powdered sugar
- • Beat 7-10 min until very stiff
- • Use immediately (pipe thick lines)
- • Hold pieces 3-5 min until set
- • Let house dry 24 hours before decorating
Troubleshooting
Common Problems:
- Too dry/crumbly: Too much flour or overbaked. Add 1-2 tbsp molasses.
- Too soft/sticky: Not enough flour or underbaked. Chill dough longer.
- Spreads too much: Dough too warm. Chill cut shapes 15 min before baking.
- Not spicy enough: Old spices lose potency. Use fresh ground spices.
- Bitter taste: Used blackstrap molasses. Use light or dark unsulphured.
Pro Tips:
- • Fresh ground ginger = more intense (use ⅔ amount)
- • Chill cookie dough minimum 1 hour (easier to roll)
- • Dust surface with flour + powdered sugar (prevents sticking)
- • Use parchment paper for easy cleanup
- • Store in airtight container 1 week (soften with apple slice)
- • Freeze dough 3 months, baked cookies 2 months