These teddy bear gingerbread cookies are as delicious as they are cute! This no-chill recipe is easy to make!
You might also like this collection of gingerbread cookies, bars, muffins, and other treats!
Watch our step by step video!
Teddy Bear Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread men are cute, but these teddy bears take things up a notch on the holiday cookie scale. They are easy to make and quick, too! There is no need to chill the dough. Just shape and bake.
The cookie dough is a spin-off of my iced gingerbread men. Loaded with spices, molasses, and a red hots belly button. If you want to ice them and add more details you can, but I kept things super simple. One batch makes 18 teddy bear cookies and the recipe can easily be doubled to make more.
Teddy Bear Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients
(scroll to the end of the post for a printable version)
- ½ cup butter (I always use salted butter for baking)
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. hot water
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- red hot candies
How To Make Gingerbread Teddy Bears
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine sugar, molasses, and softened butter. Mix until smooth. Add hot water and mix.
Mix in egg. Add dry ingredients and mix until dough forms.
Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Use this for the teddy bear bodies.
Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Break in half and roll each piece into a ball. Use the smaller ball for the teddy bear heads.
Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Break into 8 small sections. Roll each section into balls. Use these small balls for the ears and feet.
Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Break into 16 tiny sections. Roll each section into balls. Use these tiny balls for the noses.
This might make more sense. 1 ball = body. ½ ball = head. ⅛ ball = ears, feet. 1/16 ball = nose.
GENTLY press a red hot candy into the center of the teddy bear's body before baking. You don't need to press down far, just enough so that it sticks.
Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Teddy Bear Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Teddy Bear Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. hot water
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- red hot candies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine sugar, molasses, and softened butter. Mix until smooth. Add hot water and mix.
- Mix in egg. Add dry ingredients and mix until dough forms.
- Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Use this for the teddy bear bodies.
- Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Break in half and roll each piece into a ball. Use the smaller balls for the teddy bear heads.
- Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Break into 8 small sections. Roll each section into balls. Use these small balls for the ears and feet.
- Roll a tablespoon sized scoop of dough into a ball. Break into 16 tiny sections. Roll each section into balls. Use these tiny balls for the noses.
- GENTLY press a red hots candy into the center of the teddy bear body before baking. You don't need to press down far, just enough so that it sticks.
- Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of baking sheets are best for baking cookies? I bake on aluminum baking sheets. The light colored sheet (vs. dark metal sheets) bake more evenly. I like these ones (with almost 40K reviews) as well as the ones sold at Sam’s Club. The darker the cookie sheet, the faster the cookies will brown on the bottoms. It’s all personal preference, but light colored baking sheets have always given me great results.
What kind of molasses should I use for gingerbread? I use regular molasses which is a great all around choice for baking. The brand I usually grab at the store is Grandma’s. You don’t want blackstrap molasses which has a bitter flavor to it.
Brandy says
Hi everyone! Brandy here, I hope you try these cookies. They are fun to make, and I like that the dough doesn't need to chill. Truly, it's a no-chill recipe, and the shapes turn out great. Enjoy!