Soft Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies with Orange and Rum

These soft chocolate gingerbread cookies with orange and rum are deeply spiced, rich, and indulgent, finished with a luscious chocolate glaze that melts almost like ganache. With warm gingerbread spices, bright orange zest, and a gentle hint of rum, they’re the kind of cookies that feel luxurious, cozy, and unapologetically festive – even after Christmas has passed.

Hey, folks – I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Although Christmas may be over, the festive season isn’t quite finished yet. And while you might feel like you can’t possibly look at another cookie right now, I simply couldn’t not share this one more recipe.

These cookies weren’t planned at all. I first made them just before Christmas while baking a few treats for us and for neighbours, loosely inspired by one of my longtime favourites (and, apparently, one of the most popular recipe on the blog – my soft ginger cookies with orange clove glaze.

They turned out so rich, so deeply flavoured, and so irresistibly good that I found myself making them again today, photographing them, and sharing them right away. That almost never happens around here – and when it does, it usually means the recipe is truly something special. So, let’s dive into these soft chocolate orange gingerbread cookies.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Orange Gingerbread Cookies

• Deeply flavoured: Dark cocoa, gingerbread spices, orange zest, and a touch of rum create a warm, layered flavour profile.
• Soft and tender: These are true soft cookies – plush in the centre with just enough structure around the edges.
• Decadent glaze: The chocolate glaze is smooth, rich, and almost fudgy, with a ganache-like consistency.
• Perfect for cozy baking: Best enjoyed at home with a warm drink rather than packed up and transported.

Flavour and Texture Profile

These soft chocolate gingerbread cookies are rich and decadent, with bold cocoa notes balanced by ginger, cinnamon, and clove. Orange zest lifts the sweetness, while the rum adds a subtle warmth rather than a boozy punch – more of a lingering, spicy aftertaste than a strong rum flavour.

What truly makes the difference here is the addition of crystallized ginger. It intensifies the gingerbread flavour while adding little bursts of heat and chew throughout the cookies. Those tiny pieces create contrast against the soft, tender crumb, giving each bite more depth and interest both in flavour and texture.

The glaze is smooth, luscious, and delicate, with a fudgy, ganache-like texture. Because of this softness, the cookies need to be handled gently once glazed. They’re incredibly delicious but not ideal for gifting or long transportation in this version. If you prefer a more stable glaze, you can swap the heavy cream for milk, water, or even additional rum. The flavour will remain lovely, just slightly less rich and soft.

Ingredients You’ll Need for These Chocolate Gingerbread Orange Cookies

• Butter: Melted, for a rich, tender base and soft texture.
• Molasses: Adds depth, moisture, and classic gingerbread warmth.
• Honey: Adds moisture and gentle sweetness.
• Brown sugar: Contributes caramel notes and chewiness.
• Egg: Helps bind the dough and keeps the cookies soft.
• All-purpose flour: Forms the structure; you may need a little extra depending on dough feel.
• Dark cocoa powder (unsweetened): Deep chocolate flavour and colour.
• Baking powder: For light lift without cakiness.
• Orange zest: Bright and fragrant; it lifts the chocolate and spices beautifully.
• Ground ginger: The backbone spice, warm and gently spicy.
• Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and balance without overpowering.
• Ground cloves: Intense and aromatic; a little goes a long way.
• Ground nutmeg: Subtle but important for roundness.
• Salt: Just a pinch to balance sweetness.
• Crystallized ginger: Finely minced; adds little bursts of heat and texture that really make the cookies stand out.

For the Chocolate Orange Rum Glaze

• Icing sugar: Creates a smooth, glossy glaze.
• Dark cocoa powder: Keeps the glaze rich and intense.
• Dark rum: Adds warmth and depth rather than a strong boozy flavour.
• Heavy cream (35%): Makes the glaze smooth and luscious.
  For a more stable glaze, substitute milk, water, or additional rum.

How to Make Soft Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies with Orange and Rum

Start by melting the butter and combining it with molasses, honey, brown sugar, egg, orange zest, and all the spices until smooth and glossy. Stir in the finely minced crystallized ginger, followed by the baking powder, dark cocoa powder, and flour, mixing just until a soft, elastic dough forms. The dough should be slightly sticky but workable; if needed, add a little more flour. Chill for about 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Roll the dough into small balls (about 15–18 g each) and arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 10–14 minutes, depending on your oven and desired texture. For a fudgier, brownie-like centre, bake closer to 10–12 minutes; for a slightly drier but still soft cookie, bake about 14 minutes. It’s better to slightly underbake, as the cookies will continue to set as they cool. I don’t recommend going beyond 14-15 minutes, otherwise the cookies could turn too dry.

While the cookies cool, whisk together icing sugar and dark cocoa powder, then add rum and heavy cream until you reach a smooth, glossy glaze with a ganache-like consistency. Dip or spoon the glaze over the cookies and let it completely set. Handle the cookies gently as the glaze remains delicate and luscious even once set (use a spatula to transfer them to a serving plate and avoid touching too much), making these cookies best enjoyed at home rather than transported.

Possible Additions and Variations

• Vanilla: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to round out the chocolate and spice notes with gentle warmth.
• Dark chocolate pieces: Fold in a small handful of finely chopped dark chocolate for extra richness and melty pockets throughout the cookies.
• Extra rum: Increase the rum slightly in glaze for a more pronounced, warming finish.
• Orange liqueur: Swap some or all of the rum for Cointreau or Grand Marnier to lean into the citrus notes.
• Candied orange peel: Finely chop and fold into the dough for an added burst of bittersweet citrus.
• Espresso powder: A pinch added to the dough deepens the chocolate flavour without making the cookies taste like coffee.
• Spice tweak: Adjust the balance of ginger, clove, or cinnamon to suit your taste – these cookies are very forgiving.

More Delicious Gingerbread Recipes

Are you looking for more fun gingerbread-inspired recipes, like these chocolate orange gingerbread cookies? Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Orange Clove Christmas Cookies – Festive Spiced Shortbread
• Festive Gingerbread Greek Yogurt Trifle
• Gingerbread Bliss Balls – Festive Christmas Date Truffles
• Stovetop Gingerbread Candied Nuts – A Festive Stovetop Recipe
• Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies – Festive Gluten-Free Christmas Recipe
• Gingerbread Caramelized Apples – A Cozy Holiday Skillet Dessert
• Festive Gingerbread Dessert Spread with Molasses and Spices
• Christmas Gingerbread Tiramisu – Festive Holiday Dessert

I’d love for you to try these soft chocolate orange gingerbread cookies. If you give the holiday cookie a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

Soft Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies with Orange and Rum

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

Chocolate orange gingerbread cookies with deep spice and citrus notes, topped with a smooth chocolate glaze with a hint of rum.

Course: Cookies, Christmas Cookies, ChristmasCuisine: European-inspired, German-inspiredDifficulty: Easy

5.0 from 1 vote

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Servings

34-38

servings

Prep time+chilling

20

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Glaze setting

30-60

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (125 g) unsalted butter, melted

• 2 tbsp (40 g) fancy molasses – I used fancy, which is light type of molasses

• 1 –2 tbsp (20-40 g) honey

• 1 tbsp (12 g) brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (about 45 g) dark unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, plus 3–4 tbsp (25–30 g) as needed – or use more cocoa powder

• 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder

• 2 –3 tbsp (25–30 g) crystallized ginger, finely minced

• 1 –2 tbsp (6-12 g) finely grated orange zest (I used 2 tbsp)

• 1 tsp (2 g) ground ginger (or more, to taste)

• 1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves (or more, to taste – I used nearly 1/2 tsp)

• 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg (or more, to taste)

• Pinch to 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) fine salt

• Chocolate Glaze:

• 1 cup (120 g) icing sugar

• 3 –4 tbsp (20-25 g) dark cocoa powder

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) dark rumor more, as needed to reach required consistency

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream (35%)or more, as needed to reach required consistency

• c rystallized ginger, optional, for garnish

Directions

• In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, molasses, honey, orange zest, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and brown sugar until smooth.
• Stir in the minced crystallized ginger and cocoa powder, then add the flour; stir just until a soft dough forms. The dough should feel quite moist to the touch and slightly sticky, but it should not stick to your hands. This is normal – the stickiness will reduce further after chilling, and the dough should remain smooth, pliable, and easy to shape.
• Chill the dough for 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  Scoop or roll the dough into balls weighing about 15–18 g each and place on a lined baking sheet; I got about 38 cookies from this dough.
• Bake for 10–14 minutes, depending on desired texture: about 11-12 minutes for fudgy, brownie-like cookies, or up to 14 minutes for slightly drier edges and center. I don’t recommend going beyond 14-15 minutes, otherwise they could turn dry. Also it’s always better to bake them ~30 seconds less because they will continue to set as they cool. Let cool completely.
• For the glaze, whisk together icing sugar, cocoa powder, rum, and cream until smooth and glossy, adjusting with more liquid as needed.
  Dip or spoon the glaze over cooled cookies and let set gently; handle carefully, as the glaze remains delicate and ganache-like even after setting. The cookies will stay fresh for up to five days (their texture will even improve after several hours to a day or two, becoming more soft and moist) in a dry, cool place – avoid too warm environment as the glaze will soften too much. For a more stable glaze replace the cream with milk, water, or more rum. Enjoy!