Easy Cake Mix Gingerbread Cookies for the Holidays
If you’re looking for an easy way to make soft gingerbread cookies for Christmas, this recipe is the answer. It comes together quickly with minimal prep, making it perfect for busy holiday baking.
Cake mix gingerbread cookies are full of warm holiday spices and have that perfectly chewy texture everyone craves. Each bite is rich with molasses and cozy flavors that taste just like Christmas, but without all the effort.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase, this site may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Gingerbread cookies are one of those treats that instantly make it feel like Christmas. The warm spices, the cute cookie cutter shapes—it’s a tradition I look forward to every year.
But let’s be honest, traditional gingerbread dough can be a bit of a project. That’s why I love this shortcut using a spice cake mix.
Cake mix gingerbread cookies come together fast, and nobody will guess they weren’t made from scratch.
With just a few extra ingredients, that box of cake mix transforms into dough that’s perfect for rolling and cutting. It’s an easy recipe that still feels festive and homemade—without taking over your whole day.
The result? Soft gingerbread cookies for Christmas that are full of flavor and totally charming on a cookie tray.
Whether you’re baking for Santa or for a holiday potluck, these are always a hit!
More Easy Holiday Dessert Shortcut Recipes:
- Bisquick Sugar Cookies
- Easy Christmas Bread with Sprinkles
- Cake Mix Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- No-Bake Gingerbread Cream Pie
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake from a Mix
- Red Velvet Loaf Cake from a Mix
- Holiday Pistachio Bread
- Cake Mix Holiday Sugar Cookies
- Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies
- Festive Holiday Gingerbread Recipes
- Easy Holiday Sugar Cookie Cups
- Bisquick Gingerbread Donut Holes
- Easy Christmas Cake Mix Recipes
Using Cake Mix for Gingerbread Cookies
Making gingerbread cookies made with spice cake mix is the ultimate holiday shortcut.
The cake mix gives them that classic flavor with a soft, chewy texture that everyone loves, so they taste great but take less time to whip up.
As they bake, your kitchen fills with the warm scent of cinnamon, cloves, and molasses—it’s like bottling up the holiday spirit in cookie form!
Plus, you can decorate them as simply or as fancifully as you’d like, making them just right for cookie trays, gift boxes, or afternoon snacks with a mug of cocoa.
Whether you’re skipping the pricey bakery options or just want to spend a cozy afternoon baking with the kids, this easy recipe is a holiday win.
Once you try them, this shortcut version just might become your go-to for soft gingerbread cookies for Christmas. They’re on our list of the best cake mix cookie recipes, and for good reason!
How to Make Cake Mix Gingerbread Cookies
It’s really easy to make these tasty Christmas cookies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Spice Cake Mix
- All-Purpose Flour
- Eggs
- Vegetable Oil
- Unsulphured Molasses
- Ground Ginger
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Cloves
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make It:
Find the full printable recipe available below
Prepare the cookie dough. First, you’ll combine cake mix and flour. Mix on low speed just to combine.
Add eggs, oil, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla extract. Transfer the bowl of dough to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
Roll the dough. Next, you’ll turn dough out onto a floured surface. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the round of dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness.
Remove parchment paper. Dust a gingerbread man cookie cutter (or other shapes) with flour and cut cookies from the rolled dough. Re-roll scraps of dough to cut more cookies.
Bake the cookies. Last, you’ll transfer cookies to a prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches of space in between each.
Bake in preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown lightly. Don’t overbake–we want them to be nice and soft!
After the cookies have cooled, you can decorate them if you’d like–or just leave them plain. Either way, they’re super delicious and the perfect sweet treat for the season!
Notes and Adaptations
- These soft gingerbread cookies are perfect for sharing at Christmas! Bring them to a cookie swap, add them to a cookie tray at a party, or give them as handmade gifts. Santa also loves them!
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
- The number of cookies this recipe will yield will depend on the size of the cookie cutters you’re using, but I generally get about two dozen.
- I use unsulphured molasses, such as Grandma’s brand, which is available in most grocery stores.
Recommended Equipment
Cake Mix Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz spice cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer), combine cake mix and flour. Mix on low speed just to combine.
- Add eggs, oil, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Transfer bowl of dough to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the round of dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. Remove parchment paper.
- Dust a gingerbread man cookie cutter (or other shapes) with flour and cut cookies from the rolled dough. Re-roll scraps of dough to cut more cookies. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches of space in between each.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown lightly. Don’t overbake!
- Remove pan from oven and let cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- These soft gingerbread cookies are perfect for sharing at Christmas! Bring them to a cookie swap, add them to a cookie tray at a party, or give them as handmade gifts. Santa also loves them! 🙂
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
- The number of cookies this recipe will yield will depend on the size of the cookie cutters you’re using, but I generally get about two dozen.
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
Don’t forget to leave a rating below and make sure to follow on Instagram and Pinterest for more easy recipes!
More Christmas Cookie Ideas:
Don’t forget to save this recipe to your holiday board on Pinterest!
I have always lloved ginger and especially gingerbread cookies and receipes…..thanks for sharing…
It’s one of my favorite seasonal flavors, too, Mattie! 🙂