A timeless, classic, traditional Gingerbread recipe! This is one of my family’s favorite recipes. It makes for a dense but soft, moist, and richly flavored gingerbread, perfectly flavored with molasses, brown sugar, and lots of cozy spices!
Not to be confused with gingerbread cookies, this cake is so simple to whip together. Make sure to top yours off with a dollop of homemade whipped cream! Recipe includes a how-to video at the bottom of the post!
Maybe you’ve noticed by now that nearly all of my family favorite recipes originate from the same source. My favorite Angel Food Cake, Chocolate Fudge, and now this Gingerbread recipe all originate from my mom’s incredibly worn out Good Housekeeping cookbook.
And that book is really, really, worn out, too. The binding has literally been duct taped together at this point. Each time you open it, pages flutter out and onto the floor. The most well-loved pages are covered in chocolate and molasses stains. It is probably the most well-used cookbook I’ve ever known, and for good reason. The recipes inside of it are classics, and they’re really, really good.
I knew that I wanted to share a Gingerbread recipe for the holidays, but not just any recipe, I wanted it to be this one.
A Classic Gingerbread Recipe
My mom makes this recipe often and it never lasts long. It’s so simple to make, is richly flavored with molasses and traditional gingerbread spices, and it comes out perfectly every. single. time.
I did make a few minor tweaks to this recipe to make it my own. After a few recipe test runs, I decided that I preferred to use butter rather than the shortening that the recipe called for originally (and I recommend using European butter, if you can get your hands on it). I also traded out white sugar for dark brown sugar for even more of that rich molasses flavor.
Make sure that you use unsulphured molasses for this gingerbread. I always use Grandma’s brand because that’s what my grocery store carries, and it says “unsulphured” right on the label.
Gingerbread comes out heavy, but each bite is perfectly flavored and moist and just melts in your mouth. This is the perfect cozy wintertime treat.
I recommend serving your Gingerbread while it’s still warm rather than waiting to allow it to cool completely. Don’t get me wrong, the leftovers are incredible, but there’s just something so delectable about still-warm gingerbread .
My siblings and I always topped ours off with Cool Whip, but now that I’m older and wiser I only use my homemade whipped cream recipe 😉. A big scoop of vanilla ice cream would also be a great pairing, now that I’m thinking about it.
Enjoy!
More Recipes You May Enjoy:
How to Make Gingerbread
Be sure to check out my Gingerbread Recipe VIDEO just below the recipe! If you enjoy these videos, please consider subscribing to my YouTube Channel so you can be the first to see all of my cooking videos <3
Gingerbread
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (preferably European butter) softened to room temperature (113g)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar tightly packed (100g)
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses (235ml) (I use Grandma's brand)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup boiling water (235ml)
- Whipped Cream for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9"x9" 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 on 350F (175C) 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!
Nutrition
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This Gingerbread recipe was originally published 12/15/2017, post updated to include video and more tips 11/12/2018.
Sir Lancelot
You mentioned your mom’s recipe using oil rather butter and white sugar. If I wanted to do it the old fashioned way, is that an equal swap out for them? I like baking with oil, and I wanted to try the less “caramely” version. Love the recipe with all the spices and vanilla! Thank you
Sam
Yup it would be an even swap here. 🙂
Wendy Geoghan
Delicious. Very moist with perfectly balanced sweet and spice. We had some with lemon curd, very good.
I will definitely make this again.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it Wendy! 🙂
Pamela
My Mom use to make homemade gingerbread with lemon sauce. I’m almost 63 and haven’t had any in so many years and I really want some. I didn’t pay attention back then when she made it and I regret it so much! I was wondering if maybe the lemon sauce she use to cook was lemon curd? I’ve enjoyed reading this post and want it even more so now! I’ve never made homemade gingerbread or lemon sauce because I couldn’t furfural out what the lemon sauce was. Thanks!
Melinda Gandara
Wonderful recipe —very moist and not to sweet.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Melinda! 🙂
cc
Childhood comfort food.. Absolutely perfect!!! Thank you for this recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! Baking always brings back the best memories for me too. 🙂
Elona
I’ve tried three recipes of yours, i have to admit that finally i found the page/site i was looking for … the first recipe was “the best vanilla cake”-and really it is the best… than i made -the german cake- it tastes very good but the look was terrible(my fault) and the last one i did it today -the ginger bread -it is amazing. I am happy that i found the sugarspunrun site… waiting for other recipies to try. THANK YOU
Sam
I am so glad you have enjoyed everything so much, Elona! If you like cheesecake, my cheesecake recipe gets RAVE reviews, or one of my personal favorites is my angel food cake. 🙂
John
ONE teaspoon ground Ginger??? What are you afraid of??? Try 3 teaspoons-6!-12! Live a little!
Sugar Spun Run
You are welcome to adjust the spices to your liking, John. I find that one teaspoon is just enough to not be too overpowering. 🙂
Trixie
Hi Sam
Thanks for the ginger bread recipe. It turned out really well. I think it’s a similar to the one my mother and
grandmother used to make. They served it with warm custard……delicious. Brought back memories.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it and it brought back so many wonderful memories for you, Trixie! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Jane
This is a fabulous recipe! I have made it many items and everyone always loves it. Several peo0le have asked for the recipe.
I sometimes substitute orange juice for the water, for another element. Thanks very much for this perfect recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy the gingerbread so much, Jane! Thanks for passing it along. 😊
Joyce Reeves
Hi Sam,
You did not say to use mild or full flavored unsulphured molasses.
Sam
I’ll be honest, I never had the option and didn’t even know “mild” existed until just now. I recommend full flavored! Enjoy, Joyce!
Joyce Reeves
Sam,
Thank you, Sam. The Brer Rabbit brand gives you that option.
Mischelle Valentine
Made mine today. The family enjoyed it. Will make it again.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that the family enjoyed it, Mischelle! Thank you for trying my recipe. 🙂
David
Hi Sam!
Thanks for the recipe! Today was the second time I followed your recipe and it turned out great, except I should have read the comment and your response about cooking times when using a loaf pan, an expandable one, to keep the level of batter good. I cooked it for 40 minutes and it tested fine, but the center fell as it cooled and sure enough it was a bit uncooked in the center. Probably needed another 8-10 minutes. I used carob molasses from Turkey (Pekmesi) which gave it an interesting caroby flavor. Then I serve it with homemade tart applesauce and a dollop of whipped cream for the extra calories.
Sam
You’re very welcome, David! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you, I appreciate it 🙂
Danielle
Please help. Can you bake this in a loaf pan? If so is there anything different that would need to be done.
Sam
Hi Danielle, this might be a bit much batter for a loaf pan. I honestly haven’t tried to bake it in a loaf pan myself yet but I would advise not filling the pan more than 1/2-2/3 of the way full and it would definitely need to bake longer, though I’m not sure exactly how long as I haven’t tried it myself.
Diane
Made this today . Used 8X8 baking dish and it took about 48 minutes. The gingerbread was moist, very flavorful and delicious warm and served with whipped cream.
Thanx for the recipe, I will definitely be making it again.
Sugar Spun Run
That is wonderful, Diane! I am so glad that you enjoyed the gingerbread. Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Ms. P
Incredible recipe…I added just a little white sugar 1/4 cup. Thanks for sharing this recipe .I used an 8X8 glass pan and a small round cast iron skillet. I may never buy gingerbread again…I’ll just have to make it!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Gloria S.
Made this for Christmas Eve dinner. Had to bake for 10 extra min. Tested for doneness n it tested ok, but fell flat in the center upon cooling. Added extra minced ginger to the batter when making too. Possibly too much moisture? The flavor was awesome however! My hubby loved it n wants me to make it again!
Sam
Hi Gloria! I’m glad the gingerbread was a success overall! Unless you added a TON of the minced ginger I doubt that would be enough to make the cake fall. I know you said it had to bake longer than indicated, I’m wondering if your oven is running a bit cooler than it is letting on, and then if you had to open and close the oven door a few times to check it those two things combined could make the gingerbread sink as it cooled.
Pattie M
Made this as dessert for Christmas Day. Used an 8×8 glass pan and it turned out perfectly!!! Will try the lemon sauce as an option with whipped cream next year. Thanks for this recipe Sam!