With Kris Boyd on the bench after five SPL games without a goal Lafferty was the man to replace him, slotting in to the left side of a midfield four.
Steven Naismith moved forward to partner Kenny Miller and the front two were not short of running in the opening stages.
However the fact that it was the first time this season that they had lined up as a forward duo was evident as too often one’s run would not be picked up by the other.
Rangers were however on top throughout the first half, without either side creating too many clear cut chances.
There was plenty of passion in the opening stages too with Dons midfielder Davide Grassi a little over enthusiastic in the tackle.
His late lunge on Lee McCulloch earned him the only yellow card of the opening period after just ten minutes.
Moments later, Rangers earned another set piece in a far more dangerous area.
Davis was the man to deliver from the corner of the box but with the ball floating towards the back post Danny Wilson couldn’t quite divert it past Jamie Langfield.
Kyle Lafferty, the man to replace Boyd in the starting line up was lined up on the left of midfield, but after one threatening run in the early stages he drifted out of proceedings.
That was until he popped up in the box in the 18th minute to latch on to Davie Weir’s long ball from the back.
However the Ulsterman could only wave a right boot at the ball and his connection sent the ball high over the top.
Lafferty’s countryman was more accurate six minutes later to earn Rangers the lead with a wonderful strike from 20 yards.
Naismith did well to pick out Davis on the right side of the area, and with his options limited, the midfielder picked his spot high beyond Langfield.
The 25-year-old’s fourth goal of the season couldn’t have been any closer to the top corner and his and his team mates’ celebrations reflected the one moment of real quality in the opening period.
Keen to build on their lead in the early part of the second half the Gers were on top from the first whistle and had a shout for a penalty within the first three minutes.
As Miller looked to pick up a ball in from the right it appeared to bounce of the hand of Jerel Ifil but referee Willie Collum waved away Gers claims.
Davis was again the man at the heart of Rangers’ attempts to increase their advantage and when he floated a cross towards Lafferty in the 55th minute the big forward might have done better with his header.
A minute later, though, Lafferty really sparked in to life with some brilliant work down the left carrying him in to the box when he cut back for Sasa Papac.
But the Bosnian couldn’t direct the ball towards goal and the chance was lost.
Lafferty was looking better in the second period though and a switch to the forward role found him on the right ten minutes later.
And he made the most of the Gers’ counter attack as he cut in from the flank to fire just his third goal of the season.
The celebration from the dugout showed just how important it was for Lafferty to get back among the goals in a season that has seen him receive more than his fair share of criticism.
It looked like that would be enough for the Light Blues to see the match out but as so often happens in football they were hit with an almost instant sucker punch.
Good work on the right flank from Michael Paton allowed him to set Steven Maclean free in the box and when he beat McGregor to the ball it left Darren Mackie to roll in a simple finish.
The nerves that were so evident in the previous home fixture against Hamilton began to creep round Ibrox.
But before they could take hold properly Miller made sure the Gers would have a more comfortable final few minutes.
He was on hand to at the back post to finish off Danny Wilson’s nod down after the defender towered above the Dons defence to win the ball from Davis’ corner.
It was met with a surge of relief round Ibrox with Rangers safe in the knowledge that six more points from their remaining six matches will secure a 53rd league championship.