If you’ve never tried a chocolate gingerbread cookie, get ready — these ultra-soft, molasses-rich cookies are packed with warm spices, cocoa, and melty chocolate chunks. They’re the perfect combination of cozy holiday flavor and gooey chocolate, and you’ll likely bake them well beyond December.
Life is full of small emergencies these days — my 9‑month‑old Truman is now army‑crawling, which means anything on the floor that can be drooled on, chewed, or swallowed becomes fair game. Suddenly the house routines change: less time for deep cleaning, more time crawling around the floor checking for anything that might be a choking hazard.
“Emergency mode” is a real thing in our house — a few panicked minutes until I take a deep breath (or Eric calms me down). I once spent a frantic minute convinced Truman had crawled away and choked while I was in the kitchen making chocolate babka, only to remember I’d put him down for a nap.
I try to be relaxed about parenting, but choking is one area where I’m vigilant. At Charlotte’s first Christmas with my siblings, I was cutting a hot dog into absurdly small pieces — apparently overkill — but tiny bites help develop fine motor pincer skills, so I didn’t mind.
Now back to the cookies. These chocolate chunk gingerbread cookies are rich, spicy, large, soft, and wonderfully gooey. I usually keep cinnamon and chocolate far apart, but here they complement each other. A touch of cornstarch keeps the cookies tender for days, and the molasses adds irresistible depth — I’ll be making these long after the holidays.
Whether you bake these for a festive gathering or a quiet afternoon treat, they deliver big on flavor and texture: crisp at the edge, soft and pillowy inside, studded with melting chocolate. Below is the recipe with ingredients, clear instructions, and helpful notes so you can recreate them at home.
Chocolate Chunk Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi‑sweet chocolate chunks
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until combined. Scrape the bowl and beat 2–3 minutes more until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses and beat until fully incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping the sides between additions.
- Mix in the vanilla, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly distributed.
- Place the spooned and leveled flour in a bowl; do not mix yet. Make a small well in the flour and add the cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Stir those together into the flour with a spoon, then add to the wet ingredients and pulse the mixer in short bursts so flour doesn’t fly everywhere.
- When the dough is mostly combined, add the chocolate chunks and fold or beat until just combined. If needed, finish mixing with a wooden spoon.
- Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes and up to 4 days; chilling improves texture and flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. Use a 1/4‑cup measuring cup to portion dough balls and place them on the sheet, about 8 per pan.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until the tops are no longer glossy and the edges are set.
- Remove from the oven and let cookies rest on the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Adapted from a recipe originally by Fabtastic Eats. Chilling the dough helps keep the cookies thick and soft; cornstarch contributes to a tender crumb.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 365 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 18 g | Sugar: 23 g
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