Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Soft and chewy gingerbread cookies that are filled with spices and the warmth from molasses. Note that they need to chill for at least 2 hours before baking.
Servings 24 cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (57g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar, or light brown sugar (100g)
- ½ cup molasses (use unsulphured, do not use blackstrap! I use Grandma’s brand) (170g)
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Royal Icing
- 3 egg whites or 3.4 fl oz pasteurized liquid egg whites
- 4 cups powdered sugar (460g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp kosher salt
- With a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixture, beat the butter for 30 seconds on medium-high speed. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add in the molasses and mix until combined.½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, ½ cup granulated sugar, or light brown sugar, ½ cup molasses (use unsulphured, do not use blackstrap! I use Grandma’s brand)
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until incorporated.1 egg, room temperature, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 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 sticky and soft. Gently knead it to bring together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and gently flatten into a disc with your palm. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight or up to three days in the refrigerator. This is important because the dough is too soft and sticky to roll out and cut shapes. Do not skip chilling.
- After the dough has chilled, 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 for 7-8 minutes for cookies. Don't over-bake these or they will be too hard. When you take them out of the oven, they may look puffy and extra soft, but as they cool they will firm up. Tranfer to a wire cooling rack.
Royal Icing
- Attach the whisk attachment to your stand mixer. If using liquid egg whites, measure out 3.4 fl oz. If using fresh eggs, separate your egg whites from the yolks. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add your egg whites. Beat the egg whites at low speed until frothy, about 30 seconds.3 egg whites or 3.4 fl oz pasteurized liquid egg whites, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix on low speed in-between additions. (Add optional vanilla extract)After all the sugar is added, set the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form (5-8 minutes). When removing the whisk attachment, the peaks should stand up without running back into the bowl.
- Scoop the royal icing into piping bags and decorate your gingerbread men. Royal icing dries hard.
- Store undecorated or decorated cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.