Last Updated on March 1, 2023
This list of gingerbread cookie mixes only includes the best brands out there! They can all be found online and are budget-friendly too. For the best gingerbread mix, look no further.
Today, we will be diving deep into the world of gingerbread pre-mixes, specifically for chewy cookies. We’ve included a wide range of products and guarantee that there will be one you absolutely love! This list includes regular mixes, cake, and cookie mixes, organic mixes, vegan mixes, and of course, a gluten-free cookie mix as well. Let’s take a look at the best gingerbread mix.
What Are Gingerbread Cookie Mixes?
Gingerbread cookies are inspired by the flavors of traditional gingerbread. This is a type of product that generally refers to anything made with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The recipe also always includes a sweetener such as molasses, honey, or regular granulated sugar.
The cookies use similar flavors to that of gingerbread. They are the perfect sweet treat for cold autumn and winter days and are generally used decoratively.
These cookies are shaped into gingerbread men and gingerbread houses over the festive season. They are decorated with royal icing and various pieces of candy.
So, naturally, cookie mixes were inevitable. Making anything from scratch these days, while it has many benefits, does take an immense amount of time.
So, the gingerbread cookie mixes are a way to save time and sometimes even money! They consist of only dry ingredients including the spice mix. All you have to add are wet ingredients so you can hydrate them. This often includes milk, cream, eggs, oil, butter, or water.
The dough that you make from the mix can still be shaped into anything you’d like. And, you can even bake them for longer to make hard cookies. These cookies are perfect for decorative gingerbread houses that won’t be eaten.
The Best Gingerbread Mix
Below, we have compiled a list of the best gingerbread cookie mixes out there. In our opinion, the Betty Crocker gingerbread cookie mix and the Krusteaz gingerbread cookie mix are the best pre-mixes out there.
We have also included an organic mix and some gluten-free gingerbread mix options.
If you want to make these cookies chewy, you can add a tablespoon or two of honey or molasses. It will also help enhance the spices of the cookies.
Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix
Betty Crocker has always been known as a front-runner in baking mixes. Naturally, their gingerbread cookie mix became an instant hit! What we love especially about it is how quickly it takes to make.
All that you need is some butter, eggs, and water. Once the mixture is made and your dough has been shaped, you bake them for about 10 minutes, and just like that – delicious gingerbread cookies!
You can also make gingersnaps with gingerbread mix. They are just as easy and equally delicious!
Krusteaz Gingerbread Cookie Mix
What we love most about this specific pre-mix is that Krusteaz has developed a recipe that works for making gingerbread cake and cookies! To make the cookies, all you have to add is butter and eggs. The cookies take less than 20 minutes to bake and make about 12 large ones.
For the cake, you would need eggs, oil, and water. You can substitute the oil for butter to give it a richer flavor.
And for those who take special care to avoid artificial ingredients, this pre-mix doesn’t contain any artificial flavorings or preservatives.
Other Foods Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookie Mix
This is one of the best gluten-free gingerbread cookies mixes out there. And, unlike most gluten-free baked goods, this one is light, fluffy, and packed with flavor! These cookies are made with a cassava flour base which is also quite healthy.
Other noteworthy characteristics about it are that it is also paleo-friendly, completely grain and nut-free, and doesn’t contain any gums, soy products, corn, or nightshades.
And, to make it even better is that it doesn’t contain any refined sugars. Coconut sugar is what gives these gingerbread cookies their sweetness and delicious crunch.
Trader Joe’s Gingerbread Cake and Cookie Mix
Trader Joe’s is another well-known brand that is very close to our hearts. They have a ton of incredibly delicious baking mixes, but this specific gingerbread mix is out of this world!
These cookies boast flavors of ginger and molasses. It even includes some crystallized (candied) ginger pieces in the mix itself! The cookies are very soft and chewy, with a slightly crunchy edge.
For these cookies, you need oil, eggs, and water. And, they are also some of the quicker mixes to bake. You can make a batch of them in less than 15 minutes. The cake itself also is very quick and will be fully baked in about 30 minutes.
Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Gingerbread Mix
This is another excellent certified gluten-free gingerbread cookie mix. One thing that will either make you instantly buy or avoid it is the additions you have to use. This includes eggs, butter, vanilla, honey, and molasses.
Now, while this is a lot and does take away from the whole “instant cookies” idea you are going for, adding those specific ingredients fresh makes a world of difference! The flavors are much more prominent and the texture of your cookies will be far better compared to full pre-mixes.
A bonus is that this mix doesn’t contain any GMO ingredients and is only made using natural ones too. No artificial colorants, flavorings, or preservatives.
Foodstirs Organic Gingerbread Cookie and Cake Mix
We simply had to include an all-organic gingerbread mix. Foodstirs is a brand well-known for its healthy mixes and responsibly sourced ingredients.
Being completely organic, they also naturally didn’t include any GMO ingredients. And the mix itself is completely vegan. Now, they do call for eggs and butter to be added when making the cookie dough. However, you can easily substitute these with vegan alternatives.
And, you can also make gingerbread cake with this mix! You only need buttermilk (or milk), oil, and eggs. Again, you can easily substitute these with vegan alternatives.
How to Improve Boxed Gingerbread Cookie Mix
There are many ways to doctor a gingerbread cookie mix to make it taste even better. Use some of the following tips to make it extra delicious:
- Use milk. Most gingerbread cookie mixes ask for water instead of milk. However, milk is sure to give you the best results. It will make your gingerbread denser, which is great if you’re making something like a gingerbread house.
- Add an extra egg. Adding an egg makes a moister cookie, as well as adds additional flavor.
- Swap oil for butter. Many gingerbread mixes will call for oil; instead use butter to add richness.
- Add flavorings and spices. Many flavors go well with gingerbread. Some of my favorites include cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and alcohol such as rum. Fruit also can work well with gingerbread too.
- No flattening. You may be tempted to make your dough into cookie shapes before you bake them. But it’s best to simply drop the dough onto your baking sheet and avoid touching/shaping the dough as much as possible.
- Toppings. The frosting is the best option when it comes to gingerbread cookies – such as cream cheese or buttercream. Other great toppings include nuts, such as almonds, or chocolate chips. Or serve on the side with chocolate ganache or whipped cream. So many amazing toppings go well with gingerbread.
Different Uses of Gingerbread
There are many ways to use gingerbread in your baking. Some of my favorites include:
- gingerbread truffles – rolled in gingersnaps and filled with tangy ginger
- gingerbread cookies – perfect fall and winter staple
- gingerbread house – lots of fun to decorate
- gingerbread fudge – creamy and easy to make
- gingerbread cake – perfect with whipped cream
- gingerbread cheesecake – ideal holiday dessert
- gingerbread milkshake – pair with caramel sauce
- gingerbread banana bread – twist on a well-loved classic
Gingerbread Cookie Cake Recipe
Making a gingerbread cookie cake is super easy. You can either use one of the cookie mixes or make it from scratch. For a gingerbread cookie cake, you’ll need the following ingredients:
For the gingerbread cookie cake:
- 1 cup of butter
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/3 cup of molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of ginger
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/3 cup of white chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 2 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons of milk
Now all you need to do is:
Step 1: Preheat the oven, prepare your pan
Gather all of the ingredients you need for this recipe and preheat your oven to 350F. You’ll also need to grease and line a cake pan.
Step 2: Mix
Grab a bowl and add the following ingredients: butter and sugar. Mix and then add both the egg and molasses. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix well and then add the bowl of dry ingredients to the wet.
Step 3: Bake
Once mixed, add the dough to your prepared pan and bake in the center of your preheated oven for around 20-22 minutes. Don’t be worried if the cookie is still slightly soft in the center.
Step 4: Make the frosting
To make the frosting, add the butter and beat until fluffy. Once fluffy, gradually add the sugar until completely mixed. Finally, add the milk and vanilla. Mix until you reach your desired consistency.
Step 5: Pipe and enjoy!
Add frosting to a piping bag and pipe the edges. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Flavors That Go With Gingerbread
Many flavors pair perfectly with gingerbread. Some of the most common options include:
- coffee
- lemon
- white chocolate
- caramel
- chocolate
- pumpkin
- cinnamon
- rum
- vanilla
- ginger ale
- applesauce
- whipped cream
- allspice
- maple
- apple
- brandy
- lemon
- orange
- clove
- cranberry
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you to become more familiar with the best gingerbread mix. Do you have any other options that you’d add to our list of best gingerbread mixes? If so, let us know in the comments below. And, if you want to, you can try making these Gingerbread Cupcakes using one of these mixes.
Gingerbread Cookie Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the gingerbread cookie cake:
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Gather all of the ingredients you need for this recipe and preheat your oven to 350F. You'll also need to grease and line a cake pan.
- Grab a bowl and add the following ingredients: butter and sugar. Mix and then add both the egg and molasses. Set aside.In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix well and then add the bowl of dry ingredients to the wet.
- Once mixed, add the dough to your prepared pan and bake in the center of your preheated oven for around 20-22 minutes. Don't be worried if the cookie is still slightly soft in the center.
- To make the frosting, add the butter and beat until fluffy. Once fluffy, gradually add the sugar until completely mixed. Finally, add the milk and vanilla. Mix until you reach your desired consistency.
- Add frosting to a piping bag and pipe the edges. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.