Gingerbread Chunky Cookies

There is honestly nothing quite like the smell of gingerbread baking in the kitchen. As soon as that warm mix of ginger,cinnamon, and nutmeg hits the oven, the whole house instantly smells like Christmas. Personally, I’m a huge gingerbread fan and genuinely think it deserves to be baked all year round, not just in December!

As part of my Christmas baking series, I wanted to create a festive twist on a classic bakery-style chunky cookie. These Gingerbread Chunky Cookies are packed with warm spices and loaded with creamy white chocolate, giving you that crisp, golden outside and a soft, gooey centre. They are thick, indulgent, and so easy to throw together.

Let’s get baking!

Jump to Recipe

Why This Works

Cold ingredients = thick cookies: Starting with cold butter and a cold egg straight from the fridge prevents the dough from spreading too quickly in the oven, keeping those cookies tall, chunky, and soft in the middle.

Freezing + a hot tray: Baking the dough straight from frozen onto a preheated baking tray gives you the ultimate texture contrast. An instant crisp, golden base and edges while the inside stays wonderfully fudgey.

The two-flour combo: Using both plain flour and self-raising flour (plus a touch of baking powder and bicarb) gives these cookies just the right amount of lift and structure so they hold all that chunky white chocolate without turning cakey.

What you will need:

115g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
80g white caster sugar
80g brown sugar
50g white chocolate chips
200g white chocolate melts
100g self-raising flour
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 large egg, cold (straight from the fridge)

Optional for decorating:
Melted white chocolate, for drizzling
McKenzie’s Gingerbread Topitz

Em’s Pro Tips:

Resist the urge to overmix! When you add the egg at the end, mix just until the dough starts clumping together. You want the dough to look rough, craggy, and slightly shaggy rather than smooth. Those uneven peaks and ridges are what bake up into the best crispy, golden edges.

Change It Up

Swap the chocolate: Not a white chocolate fan? Milk chocolate or dark chocolate chunks work just as well with the warm gingerbread spices.

Add a nutty crunch: Toss in a small handful of roughly chopped macadamias, pecans, or walnuts alongside the chocolate for a delicious toasty crunch.

How to make it:

Beat the butter: Place the cold cubed butter into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with hand beaters) and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds just to break it up.

Add the sugars: Add the white sugar and brown sugar, and mix for 45 seconds until combined. Don’t worry about creaming it until light and fluffy, you still want the butter to stay cold.

Mix in the chocolate: Add both the white chocolate chips and white chocolate melts, mixing briefly until evenly distributed through the butter mixture.

Add the dry ingredients: Tip in the self-raising flour, plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Bring the dough together: Crack in the cold egg and mix on low just until a chunky dough starts to form. Stop as soon as there are no dry pockets of flour left. Do not overmix, and don’t try to make it smooth.

Shape and weigh: For even, bakery-sized cookies, weigh out 100g portions of dough (you’ll get 9 balls). Gently shape each portion into a rough, craggy ball with your hands without squishing or smoothing them out too much.

Freeze: Place the dough balls onto a plate or small tray and freeze for at least 90 minutes until completely firm.

Preheat with the tray: About 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 170°C (fan-forced) with a large, flat baking tray already inside so it gets nice and hot.

Bake from frozen: Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven, lay down a sheet of baking paper, and place your frozen cookie dough balls onto the tray, leaving plenty of space between them to spread. Bake for 14 minutes until golden around the edges and still slightly soft in the centre.

Cool: Leave the cookies to firm up on the hot baking tray for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate (optional): Enjoy them plain, or take them up a notch with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and a sprinkle of McKenzie’s Gingerbread Topitz for an extra crunchy gingerbread kick!

How to store:

Room temperature: Store your cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days. (Pop one in the microwave for 10–15 seconds before eating if you want that fresh-from-the-oven gooeyness!)

Freezer (unbaked): You can keep the rolled cookie dough balls in a zip-lock bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Whenever a gingerbread craving hits, just bake them straight from frozen. You may just need to add an extra minute or two to the bake time.

Happy Baking!

May your home be filled with the warm scent of gingerbread and plenty of sweet treats this Christmas. If you make this recipe don’t forget to tag me in your photos. I love seeing what you’re creating in your kitchens!

More Christmas Recipes

Save

Gingerbread Chunky Cookies

Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

Prep time

minutes

Freeze time

hour

minutes

Bake time

mins

Too good to save just for December! These thick, bakery-style gingerbread cookies are loaded with white chocolate and warm spices, baking up golden and crunchy on the outside with a soft, gooey centre. Simple, fuss-free, and pure comfort in every bite.

Ingredients

115g cold unsalted butter, cubed
80g white caster sugar
80g brown sugar
50g white chocolate chips
200g white chocolate melts
100g self-raising flour
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 large cold egg
To Decorate (Optional)
Melted white chocolate, for drizzling
McKenzie’s Gingerbread Topitz, for sprinkling

Method

Beat cold butter on medium for 30 seconds to break up. Add sugars and mix for 45 seconds until combined (keep the butter cold).
Stir through white chocolate chips and melts until evenly distributed.
Add flours, baking powder, bicarb soda, salt, and spices. Mix on low for 30 seconds until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add cold egg and mix on low just until a rough, chunky dough forms. Do not overmix or smooth out.
Weigh into 9 x 100g portions and gently shape into rough balls. Freeze for at least 90 minutes until firm.
Preheat oven to 170°C (fan-forced) with a flat baking tray inside.
Line the hot tray with baking paper, space out frozen dough balls, and bake for 14 minutes until golden at the edges and soft in the centre.
Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with Gingerbread Topaz if desired.

Notes

Em’s Pro Tip: Keep the dough craggy when shaping, those rough edges bake up golden and crisp while keeping the middle thick and gooey.
How to Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Unbaked dough balls can be frozen for up to 2 months and baked straight from frozen.

About Em

Hi, I’m Em. A self-taught baker, sweet tooth, and the creator behind Em’s Sweet Life. I believe baking doesn’t need to be complicated to be delicious.

Here you’ll find easy, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, a few shortcuts, and a whole lot of heart.

What started as a weekend hobby has turned into my happy place. A space to share the treats I love baking for family and friends.

Whether it’s a last-minute dessert, a nostalgic classic, or something new to impress at your next gathering, my goal is to help you feel confident (and calm!) in the kitchen.

Grab a cup of tea, preheat your oven, and let’s bake something sweet together.

YouTube Videos

Want to hang out in the kitchen with me? If you’re a visual learner (or just like watching butter and sugar come together), I’ve filmed step-by-step videos for all my favourite recipes! You can find the full tutorials over on my YouTube channel now. Let’s bake something delicious together!