Light Blues centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez headed in from a corner in the 11th minute for his fifth goal of the season.
The Dons, with first-team coach Peter Leven in charge after boss Jimmy Thelin departed on Sunday, spurned a couple of great chances before Gers midfielder Nico Raskin headed in from another Connor Barron corner four minutes from the break.
Danny Rohl’s side were sixth in the table when he took over from former boss Russell Martin in October, but without turning in a complete performance they moved three points ahead of Celtic who, like the Jambos, have a game in hand.
The Light Blues travel to Pittodrie on Sunday for the second of this week’s double-header against the Dons, looking to keep up their improved League form and that will likely prove to be a different type of challenge.
Spirits were high at Ibrox following the comeback 3-1 win at Celtic Park which effectively ended the tenure of Hoops boss Wilfried Nancy after just 33 days, and the visitors, winless in five games, had a flaky start.
Goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov dropped a long free-kick from Gers captain James Tavernier but managed to block the shot from former Pittodrie midfielder Barron, who was waiting to pounce.
Mitov did not look too clever when the excellent Barron’s corner from the left came into a packed six-yard box, finding himself on the floor as Fernandez headed in an easy opener.
By way of a warning to the jaunty home side, Dons attacker Kenan Bilalovic raced through the Ibrox defence onto a long ball but took a poor second touch and it ran through to Gers keeper Jack Butland.
There was another let-off in the 27th minute when Bilalovic failed to control a pass from counter-attacking Kevin Nisbet with only Butland to beat.
In the 39th minute Mitov tipped a dipping shot from Tavernier over the bar but from another Barron corner, Raskin freed himself from defender Nicky Devlin to power in a header.
Rangers had some opportunities early in the second-half but in the 63rd minute Butland saved a glancing Nisbet header for a corner.
The third goal almost came in the 78th minute when Raskin fired in a drive from 20 yards but Mitov pushed it away for a corner, while Aberdeen might have pulled a goal back on a couple of occasions in the latter stages, Fernandez blocking an effort from substitute Leighton Clarkson.
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar (Sterling 58), Fernandez, Meghoma, Barron (Aarons 87), Raskin, Diomande (Danilo 69), Gassama, Chermiti (Miovski 58), Moore (Aasgaard 46).
Subs not used: Kelly, Nsiala, Matondo, Dowell.
Aberdeen: Mitov, Devlin, Milne, Knoester, Gyamfi (Jensen 73), Kjartansson (Clarkson 62), Polvara, Shinnie, Bilalovic (Lazetic 62), Nisbet (Karlsson 73), Armstrong (Keskinen 87).
Subs not used: Suman, Nilsen, Milanovic, Lobban.
Referee: Nick Walsh
Man of the Match: Nicolas Raskin
Match rating: 7/10
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