Gingerbread Cookies
A holiday favorite, these gingerbread cookies have crisp edges, pillowy centers, a nice spice flavor, and sweet warmth from the molasses and brown sugar. It's perfectly in-between a gingerbread that snaps and one that's chewy.
Servings 24 - 26 cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (313g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (85g) (6 tbsp)
- 1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar (95g)
- 1/3 cup molasses (use unsulphured, do not use blackstrap! I use Grandma’s brand) (112g)
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
- With a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixture, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium-high speed. Add the brown sugar and beat for another minute. Add the molasses and beat on medium speed until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Scrap down the sides of your bowl with a spatula. If it looks curdled, that's okay. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, mixing on low speed until combined.
- The dough will be slightly sticky and soft. Gently knead it to bring together into a ball. Divide into two parts with a knife (doesn't have to be perfect). Created disc shapes by flattening the dough with your palm. Wrap in plastic wrap and repeat with the other 1/2 of dough.
- Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight or up to three days. This is important because the dough is too soft and sticky to roll out and cut shapes. Do not skip chilling.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Take out the chilled dough and flour your work surface. Don't wait for this dough to reach room temperature. Roll the chilled dough discs to be about 1/4-inch thick, making half turns after each roll so the dough is even thickness. It's okay if it cracks on the sides, just keep working the dough.
- Cut out your dough with cookie cutters and place them about 1-inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake cookies that are 4-inches or smaller for 7-8 minutes for cookies. Cookies that are larger can be baked for 8-9 minutes. Don't over-bake these or they will be too hard. When you take them out of the oven, they may look puffy and soft, but as they cool they firm up.
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating. Store undecorated or decorated cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Decorate with royal icing when they are completely cooled.