Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are a must for the holidays, and this gingerbread cookie recipe makes the best! They bake up soft in the center with crisp edges, perfect for decorating. Use any shape cookie cutter for a nice variety of holiday cookies.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 1 40

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 24 people

Calories 6893.3 kcal

Equipment

1 Electric Mixer For creaming butter and sugar efficiently.
2 Mixing Bowls One large for wet ingredients, one medium for dry.
1 Rolling Pin Essential for even dough thickness.
1 Cookie Cutters Various shapes for holiday presentation.
2 Cookie Sheets Ungreased, for baking batches.

Ingredients

Main

½ cup butter softened
½ cup white sugar
1 large egg yolk
½ cup molasses not blackstrap
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or to taste
½ teaspoon ground cloves or to taste
½ teaspoon ground ginger or to taste
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or to taste

Instructions

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until mostly incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, another 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, then molasses.
Whisk sifted flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg in a separate bowl until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture to the molasses mixture, beating until well blended and smooth.
Divide dough in half and form each into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 to 3 hours, or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Working with one disk at a time, and leaving remaining disk in the refrigerator, unwrap chilled dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Working from the center to the edges, roll dough with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 inch.
Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters, dipping the cutters into flour as needed so they don't stick to the dough. Fit the cookie cutters as closely together as possible to cut as many cookies as you can. This will minimize the number of times you have to re-roll the dough.
Transfer gingerbread cookies to ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Gather any dough scraps into a ball, flatten, re-wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to use for later batches.
Bake each sheet in the preheated oven until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely while you finish rolling, cutting, and baking the remaining cookies.
Frost or decorate cooled gingerbread cookies as desired. Nika

Notes

Ensure butter is properly softened to cream effectively with sugar, achieving a light and fluffy texture crucial for the cookie's rise and tenderness. Sifting the flour and thoroughly whisking dry ingredients prevents lumps and ensures even spice distribution. Do not skip the chilling step; it firms the dough, making it easier to roll and cut, and develops the flavors. When re-rolling dough scraps, minimize handling to prevent gluten development, which can lead to tough cookies. Bake until the edges are firm but the centers remain slightly soft for the desired texture, then cool completely before decorating to prevent frosting from melting.