Easy & Festive Christmas Gingerbread Cookie Bites: Your Ultimate Holiday Treat Recipe
Christmas gingerbread cookie bites offer a delightful, fuss-free twist on a beloved holiday classic. These simple, one-bite wonders encapsulate everything you adore about traditional gingerbread cookies – rich spice, comforting aroma, and a perfectly chewy texture – all in an incredibly easy-to-make format. They are the quintessential holiday cookie, ideal for your next festive gathering, a cozy night in, or as charming additions to a cookie exchange.
This innovative, poppable version of gingerbread cookies consistently earns rave reviews whenever I share them. Everyone falls in love with their delightful flavor and charming shape. The unexpected presentation of perfectly formed gingerbread squares makes them an instant conversation starter, adding a unique touch to your dessert spread. Each generous batch yields approximately 100 squares, making them wonderfully versatile for various occasions, from bustling cookie exchanges to festive parties and even casual everyday snacking. Their small size makes them perfect for little hands and easy portion control.
What Exactly Are Gingerbread Cookie Bites?
Gingerbread cookie bites are miniature, cube-shaped cookies crafted from a rich and flavorful homemade gingerbread cookie dough. What truly sets this recipe apart, making it simpler than many traditional holiday cookies, is the ingenious method of shaping. Instead of rolling out dough and painstakingly cutting individual shapes with cookie cutters, this recipe involves pressing the dough into a pan, chilling it thoroughly, and then slicing it into uniform squares. This eliminates the need for any complex dough handling, saving you precious time and effort during the busy holiday season.
These cookies are celebrated for their soft, wonderfully chewy texture and their deeply aromatic, classic gingerbread flavor. They’re infused with a warm blend of spices and the unmistakable sweetness of molasses, creating a truly comforting and festive treat. Once you introduce these delightful bites into your home, they are sure to become a cherished new holiday tradition, bringing joy and deliciousness year after year. Their delightful aroma alone is enough to get everyone in the festive spirit!
Essential Ingredients for Gingerbread Bites
Crafting these delectable gingerbread cookie bites requires a selection of common pantry staples and classic gingerbread spices. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial for achieving that perfect holiday flavor and texture:
- All-Purpose Flour: You’ll need 3 cups of all-purpose flour to form the structural base of your cookie dough. Using the correct amount is vital for achieving the desired chewiness and preventing the cookies from becoming too crumbly or too dense.
- Leavening Agents: A combination of 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ¾ teaspoon of baking soda is used to give these cookies a slight lift and tender texture as they bake. This ensures they puff up just enough without becoming overly cakey.
- Salt: Just ¼ teaspoon of salt plays a critical role. It doesn’t just add saltiness; it brilliantly enhances and balances the rich, sweet, and spicy flavors within the cookies, making each bite more complex and satisfying.
- Warm Spices: The heart and soul of gingerbread! You’ll need 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon of ground cloves. These spices create the iconic warm, aromatic, and slightly pungent flavor profile that defines classic gingerbread. For the best flavor, ensure your spices are fresh and aromatic.
- Shortening: Incorporating 4 tablespoons of shortening is key to achieving a richer, more tender cookie texture. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, which can contribute to a softer crumb and help prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- Unsalted Butter: ½ cup (one stick) of unsalted butter adds luxurious richness and a delicious dairy depth to the cookie dough. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall salt content in the recipe more precisely.
- Dark Brown Sugar: 1 cup of dark brown sugar is essential for both sweetness and texture. Its molasses content contributes to the chewy consistency of the cookies and adds a beautiful, deep, caramel-like flavor that complements the spices perfectly.
- Large Egg: One large egg acts as a binder, holding the dough together and contributing to the cookie’s structure and moisture content. Ensure your egg is at room temperature for better incorporation into the wet ingredients.
- Molasses: ½ cup of molasses is indispensable for giving these cookies their distinct traditional gingerbread flavor and dark color. For the most authentic taste, opt for unsulphured molasses, such as robust or dark molasses. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can be too bitter for baking.
- Vanilla Extract: Adding 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors in the dough, providing a subtle aromatic warmth that rounds out the spice profile beautifully. Good quality vanilla makes a difference!
- Holiday Sprinkles: To give your gingerbread bites a truly festive appearance, ¼ cup of holiday-colored nonpareil sprinkles is recommended. These tiny, crunchy sprinkles add a delightful visual pop and a subtle textural contrast to the soft cookies.
How to Make Delicious Christmas Gingerbread Cookie Bites
Follow these easy steps to create a batch of delightful, bite-sized gingerbread cookies that will impress everyone this holiday season:
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves until all ingredients are thoroughly blended and evenly distributed. This ensures consistent flavor throughout your cookies.
- Cream Wet Ingredients (Part 1): In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a powerful stand mixer (like a KitchenAid, which makes this step a breeze), combine the shortening, unsalted butter, and dark brown sugar. Beat these on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. Then, beat in the large egg until fully incorporated.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the molasses and vanilla extract. Continue mixing on medium speed until these liquid ingredients are smoothly blended into the butter and sugar mixture, creating a rich, fragrant base.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the whisked dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed, just until the flour mixture is fully incorporated and the dough comes together into a smooth, thick consistency. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
- Press and Decorate: Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the dough later. Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, ensuring it forms a flat and uniform layer from edge to edge. Next, generously sprinkle your holiday nonpareil sprinkles over the entire surface of the dough. Gently press them into the dough with your hand to help them adhere securely. The nonpareils are particularly great for this recipe as their small, round shape allows for clean cuts later.
- Chill the Dough: This is a crucial step for managing the dough and achieving perfect squares. Place the pan with the dough into the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 8 hours. Chilling firms up the dough, making it much easier to cut and preventing excessive spreading during baking.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheets: Once your dough is sufficiently chilled, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Slice the Dough into Bites: Carefully remove the chilled dough (still on its parchment paper liner) from the baking pan and place it onto a clean cutting board. Using a ruler as a guide, slice the dough into approximately ½-inch cubes. Start by making 10 or 11 parallel rows in one direction, then rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat, making another 10 or 11 cuts. This will yield around 100 small, perfect cubes of gingerbread dough.
- Arrange and Bake: Transfer the gingerbread cubes to your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie to allow for slight spreading. You should be able to fit approximately 30-35 cookies per standard baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time for 7 minutes. Baking one sheet at a time helps ensure even heat distribution and consistent results.
- Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the hot baking sheet for 2 minutes. This brief resting period helps them set and become firmer. After 2 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, they are ready to be devoured!
Enjoy these festive, spicy, and perfectly chewy gingerbread cookie bites!
CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD COOKIE BITES
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Cookies, Dessert, Holiday Baking
American, Christmas
Gingerbread Cookie Bites, Christmas Cookies, Easy Gingerbread, Holiday Baking
20 minutes
7 minutes
2 hours
2 hours 27 minutes
100 bites
163kcal
Jessica & Nellie
Prevent your screen from going to sleep
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 TBSP shortening
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup holiday nonpareils sprinkles
Instructions
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the shortening, butter, and dark brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, beat in the large egg until well blended.
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Add the molasses and vanilla extract to the wet mixture and continue to mix until smoothly incorporated.
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Gradually add the reserved dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just blended and a smooth dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
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Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper, allowing an overhang on the sides. Ensure the dough forms a flat and even layer. Sprinkle the dough generously with holiday nonpareil sprinkles, then gently press them into the dough with your hand to secure them. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.
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Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line several baking sheets with fresh parchment paper.
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Remove the parchment-lined dough from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Using a ruler for precision, cut the dough into approximately ½-inch cubes. Make about 10-11 rows in one direction, then turn the dough 90 degrees and cut another 10-11 rows, resulting in roughly 100 small cubes of dough. (Note: The original recipe mentioned an 8×8 pan, but the text before says 9×13. I’ve standardized it to 9×13 for consistency and greater yield).
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Carefully transfer the gingerbread cubes to your lined cookie sheets, ensuring about 1 inch of space between each cookie. You can fit approximately 30-35 cookies per sheet.
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Bake one baking sheet at a time for 7 minutes. After removing from the oven, let the cookies rest on the hot tray for an additional 2 minutes to allow them to set.
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Transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, enjoy your homemade Christmas Gingerbread Cookie Bites!
Nutrition
Can Gingerbread Cookies Be Frozen for Later?
Absolutely! One of the many advantages of these delightful gingerbread cookie bites is their freezer-friendly nature. These cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months without compromising their flavor or texture. This makes them an ideal choice for advance party preparation, allowing you to tackle some of your holiday baking well before the festivities begin. It’s also perfect for those who wish to extend the wonderful taste of gingerbread beyond the holiday season. To enjoy a frozen cookie, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw on the counter for a few minutes until it reaches your desired temperature. You might even find a slightly chilled cookie to be a refreshing treat!
How Long Do Gingerbread Cookies Stay Fresh?
When stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, these gingerbread cookie bites can maintain their freshness and delicious taste for up to a week. However, for the absolute best experience, I highly recommend enjoying them within about 3 days of baking. This is when cookies are at their peak, boasting the freshest flavor and most tender texture. They are also incredibly delicious when still warm from the oven, so be sure to grab a few just after they’ve cooled enough to handle. If you find them starting to dry out after a few days, a quick 10-15 second reheat in the microwave can often revive their softness and aromatic qualities, bringing back that fresh-baked feel.
Discover More Festive Christmas Cookie Recipes!
The holiday season is synonymous with baking, and there’s no limit to the delicious cookies you can create! If you love these gingerbread cookie bites, you’ll surely enjoy exploring other festive treats from our collection. Here are some more fantastic Christmas cookie recipes to add to your holiday baking list:
- GINGERBREAD SANDWICH COOKIES
- HOLIDAY SPICED SNICKERDOODLES
- CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE BARS
- SPICED CHRISTMAS SHORTBREAD COOKIES
- CARAMEL APPLE GINGERBREAD COOKIES
- CHRISTMAS SPRINKLE COOKIES
- CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
- SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES
- MINT CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS COOKIES
- HOLIDAY STAR COOKIES
- PEPPERMINT BUTTER COOKIES
- CHRISTMAS CUT OUT COOKIES
- GRINCH THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Speaking of family and traditions, this past year held a special significance for us. This is a lovely photo of my Grandpa on his 90th birthday. Heavens, I can’t even imagine what 90 must feel like! He’s had a particularly challenging year, so my sisters and I knew we had to make his milestone birthday unforgettable. We rallied the troops, organized a fabulous party, and seeing his joy made all the effort worthwhile. He truly seemed to enjoy himself, and we certainly had a wonderful time celebrating, so I consider it a resounding success!
These soft, chewy, and irresistibly spiced Christmas gingerbread cookie bites are more than just a treat; they’re an instant classic that brings warmth and cheer to any holiday gathering. Their easy preparation and crowd-pleasing appeal make them perfect for busy bakers. I encourage you to whip up a batch of these delightful holiday gingerbread cookie bites soon, and witness how quickly they become a cherished new tradition, filling your home with festive aromas and delicious memories.
