A timeless, classic, traditional Gingerbread recipe that makes for a dense but soft, moist, and richly flavored cake, perfectly flavored with molasses, brown sugar, and lots of cozy spices! Be sure to check out the how-to video!
Prep time: PT20M
Cook time: PT40M
Total time: PT60M
Rating
4.92 stars (172 reviews)
Keywords
christmas recipe, gingerbread, holiday baking, recipe with molasses
Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter (preferably European-style butter, if you can find it)
½ cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
Whipped Cream (for topping, optional)
Categories
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Steps
Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9"x9" (23x23cm) metal baking pan by either generously greasing and flouring or by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine butter and brown sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy.
Add molasses and stir until well combined.
Add egg and vanilla extract. Stir well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet until completely combined.
Carefully stir in boiling water until ingredients are smooth and well-combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake in the center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Allow to cool before slicing and serving. This Gingerbread tastes best when topped with whipped cream!
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 383 kcal
Carbohydrates: 67 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 48 mg
Sodium: 405 mg
Sugar: 40 g
Reviews
Kate on 2026-01-01 (5 stars): This gingerbread is delicious.
Janie on 2025-12-28 (5 stars): I made this this evening and used 2 loaf pans. The flavor was perfectly spiced without being overpowering. I served it with Ambrosia Custard cream but delicious on its own. I haven’t made gingerbread in years. This recipe brought back wonderful memories of my Moms kitchen.
LOUISE FREEMAN DAVIS on 2025-12-24 (5 stars): A great recipe. I cooked mine in a bundt pan because I wanted a prettier dessert for Christmas dinner and it was perfect with 30 minutes of baking. I topped it with a small amount of lemon glaze and served with boiled custard.
Liz on 2025-12-18 (5 stars): This was delicious--and easy to make in my stand mixer. I planned on using whipped cream, but someone used it all up, so we ate it plain and it was still amazing. I was craving gingerbread as a holiday treat and this hit the spot.
Carol J Monroe on 2025-12-15 (5 stars): Same here only I had to cook at 20 minutes longer
Chloe on 2025-12-09 (5 stars): This gingerbread was fabulous! Perfect amount of spice and an incredible crumb!
Richard Appleby on 2025-12-04 (5 stars): Amazing! Just what I hoped. My family loved it. Thank you!!
Kim on 2025-12-02 (5 stars): I followed the recipe exactly and it does not disappoint. It’s absolutely delicious, with a lovely tender crumb. Topped with homemade caramel sauce pushed it right over the top!
Susan H. on 2025-12-01 (5 stars): Love this recipe just as you wrote it! Perfect taste, takes me back to my childhood and actually very simple to make! Don’t skip on the whipped topping, that recipe is also spot on! Thanks for sharing!
