Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies
This chocolate dipped gingerbread cookies recipe is our go-to favorite for gingerbread cut-out cookies and gingerbread houses.
Chocolate goes with anything.
Isn’t that statement true? You can pretty much put chocolate in anything and it won’t taste that bad. It just makes everything better.
Years ago I received some chocolate dipped gingerbread cookies and with one bite I was hooked. The combo just goes together! Today we’re sharing our old recipe for gingerbread cut out cookies.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Perfect for gingerbread men or gingerbread houses.
- The mixture is easy to work with and tastes amazing.
- It’s soft fresh from the oven, but then firms, sturdy enough that you can build a house.
Involve the Family!
Gingerbread is so fun to make. I love every part of it-mixing the molasses and sugar over the stove, pouring it into the other ingredients, and mixing it up into the dough.
Even rolling out the dough is easy and fun and my sister and I think of the most strategic ways to save room on the board to cut one more cookie before popping in the oven. Then when they come out and off the pan, the warm, gingery smell flows throughout the whole house. You end up with the whole house smelling like Christmas.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
- Melt the shortening in the saucepan.
- Add the sugar and molasses and mix well. Heat this mixture over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Don’t let the mixture boil. You’re just letting it heat through well.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and ginger together in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly pour the melted shortening mixture into the flour mixture, stirring constantly using a large spoon. Mix thoroughly. Use your hands to mix the last bit of flour in if necessary.
- After it is thoroughly mixed, roll out the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness directly on an ungreased cookie sheet. Use cookie cutters to cut gingerbread men, Christmas shapes, or make a gingerbread house. Remove the excess cookie dough and put it back in the bowl. Do not move the shapes after you cut them or it will cause them to be misshapen.
- If the dough gets too hard to reroll, place the bowl in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until the dough becomes soft and warm again.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-13 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a flat surface to cool completely.
How to Decorate Gingerbread Men
You can dip these gingerbread cut out cookies in chocolate, or you can decorate all of them with your favorite icing.
When we’re feeling lazy, we drizzle the tops with melted white or dark chocolate, then sprinkle with holiday sprinkles. It’s easy, but they end up so elegant looking.
Pro Tip: This recipe makes one gingerbread house, or several dozen gingerbread cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies
This gingerbread cookie recipe is our go-to favorite for gingerbread cut-out cookies and gingerbread houses. And it fantastic dipped in chocolate!
Servings 36 cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons powdered ginger
- 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips if desired
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips if desired
Instructions
- Melt the shortening in the saucepan.
- Add the sugar and molasses and mix well. Heat this mixture over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Don't let the mixture boil. You're just letting it heat through well.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and ginger together in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly pour the melted shortening mixture into the flour mixture, stirring constantly using a large spoon. Mix thoroughly. Use your hands to mix the last bit of flour in if necessary.
- After it is thoroughly mixed, roll out the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness directly on an ungreased cookie sheet. Use cookie cutters to cut gingerbread men, Christmas shapes, or make a gingerbread house. Remove the excess cookie dough and put it back in the bowl. Do not move the shapes after you cut them or it will cause them to be misshapen.
- If the dough gets too hard to reroll, place the bowl in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until the dough becomes soft and warm again.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-13 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a flat surface to cool completely.
- If desired, melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Dip each cooled cookie partially into the melted chocolate and place it on a piece of waxed paper. Sprinkle immediately with Christmas themed sprinkles, if desired.
- Allow the chocolate to set, then store the cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 36 cookies, with 1 serving being 1 cookie. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 38g | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Chocolate covered gingerbread is a German holiday classic. Thanks for this simpler version!
These look so festive! Thanks for sharing with us,
Are these a soft cookie?!!
Can you switch the shortening out for butter?
What is a bag of semi sweet chocolate? 6, 12 or 24 oz.