Easy Gingerbread Cookies {With Cake Mix}
Quick and easy gingerbread cookies recipe, made with 3 simple ingredients are a classic. This doctored cake mix recipe makes the best soft cut out cookies.
It’s our family tradition to bake these gingerbread cookies with all the kids in the family on Christmas Eve. They taste just as good as they look and the children get super creative decorating them. If you are fond of gingerbread, you also much try this Easy Gingerbread Recipe (Gingerbread Cake) and this Homemade Gingerbread Latte Recipe.
This is a very easy gingerbread cookie recipe!
It’s a doctored cake mix recipe and requires only 3 ingredients:
- Spiced cake mix
- Butter
- Egg
How do you make easy gingerbread cookies recipe? How to make gingerbread cookies? How do you make the best gingerbread cookies?
- Mix together egg and butter.
- Add spiced cake mix and chill dough.
- Spread out the dough and cut out shapes with cutters.
- Bake and let them cool.
- Decorate and you are done.
Can gingerbread man cookies be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze baked cookies (once they have fully cooled down) in air-tight, sealed freezer containers. Let them thaw in the fridge for 24 hours and bake.
Are gingerbread cookies hard or soft?
Typically they should be soft but still be able to hold their shape. Hard ones are used to make gingerbread houses and other decorations like ornaments. Some people prefer the hard ones for dunking in tea or coffee.
What do classic homemade gingerbread cookies taste like?
They are sweet with a spiced flavor that comes from cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Some people like to add orange zest too.
Soft gingerbread cookies vs. Chewy gingerbread cookies
The recipe below is for soft cookies that are crispy on the outside. They don’t have a chewy texture.
How to decorate gingerbread cookies? (Gingerbread cookie icing)
Typically, Royal Icing or Glace Icing is used to make all the details, which dry hard and you can even use American Buttercream Frosting. However, I decorated with melted chocolate because my kid prefers chocolate.
How to keep cookies from spreading?
Chill the dough! It makes the dough easier to handle and also prevents cookies from spreading too much and loosing their shape, while baking! 
Tips for Christmas cookies
- Sift the boxed cake mix flour at least once to get rid of the little lumps or else your baked cookies will have little specks of cake mix flour. This is optional and most people don’t even notice the tiny specks.
- The batter will become crumbly. Don’t add any type of liquid to thin it out! Just use your hands to gently knead the dough.
- Don’t use an egg at room temperature. Use a cold, refrigerated egg. Using an egg at room temperature will make the dough too soft.
- The butter should be at room temperature and not melted.
- Chill the dough for 40 minutes to 1 hour so that it becomes easier to handle plus chilled cookies don’t spread too much while baking and hold their shape better.
- You can apply this same recipe to any cake mix and make any flavor of cut out cookie dough.
- Use a gluten free cake mix to make gluten free gingerbread cookies.
- Please note these cookies are NOT ideal for making gingerbread houses since they can’t handle the weight of all the candies. However, you can check out this Gingerbread House Tutorial for my firm and strong gingerbread cookie recipe.
Other doctored cake mix recipes
- Cake Mix Pumpkin Donuts
- Easy Pumpkin Cake With Cake Mix
- Easy Apple Cake With Cake Mix
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Cake Mix Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Easy Cake Mix Brownies
- Cake Mix Champagne Cupcakes
- Coconut Cranberry Cake With Cake Mix
- Eggnog Cookies
Easy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Egg, Large
- ½ cup Butter, Unsalted, Room temperature
- 1 package Spiced cake mix box
- 1 cup Royal icing or melted chocolate, Optional, For decoration
- 1/2 cup Mini m&m candies, Optional, For decoration
Instructions
- Add the egg and butter in a mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Sift the boxed cake mix.
- Add the cake mix into the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix.
- Chill dough for about 1-2 hours so that it's easier to handle. It also prevents cookies from spreading too much while baking and they hold their shape better.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper and use your cutters to cut out various shapes.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until the edges are firm and slightly brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool down and then decorate them with royal icing/ melted chocolate and candies. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge or room temperature for up to 2 days.
Video
Nutrition
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
We make these every Christmas but use devils food cake mix or vanilla cake mix. They always come out adorable and delicious! Easy easy!