Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
This recipe creates delicious, spiced gingerbread cookies with a soft and chewy center. Perfect for holiday decorating and sharing!
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment
- Plastic Wrap
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups 440g all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- Wet Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons 142g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup 150g packed light or dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup 160ml; ~200g unsulphured or dark molasses (not blackstrap; Grandma’s brand recommended)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Optional
- Easy cookie icing or royal icing for decorating
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat butter on medium speed with a mixer until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).
- Add brown sugar and molasses; beat on medium-high until combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
- Beat in egg and vanilla on high speed for 2 minutes. The mixture may appear separated—this is normal.
Combine and Chill Dough:
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Wrap each in plastic wrap, shape into discs, and chill for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.
Preheat and Prepare:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Roll and Cut:
- Generously flour your work surface, rolling pin, and hands. Roll one chilled disc to ¼-inch thickness.
- Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place them 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps as needed.
Bake:
- Bake for 8–11 minutes depending on the size of your cutters (rotate the pan halfway through).
- For soft cookies, follow suggested bake times. For crunchier cookies, bake slightly longer.
Cool and Decorate:
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Once cooled, decorate with icing as desired.
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Enjoy making and sharing these festive gingerbread cookies!
