Description
These classic Gingerbread Cookies offer a perfect blend of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves combined with rich molasses to create a tender, flavorful treat that’s ideal for holiday baking or any cozy occasion. With a crisp edge and slightly soft center, these cookies are easy to prepare and fun to decorate.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (or dark molasses)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt into a medium bowl to ensure even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Beat Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and molasses on medium/high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and continue beating for another minute until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dough: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on medium/low speed until combined. The resulting dough will be soft and moist.
- Chill Dough: Transfer dough onto a well-floured surface. If sticky, dust with flour to help pat it into a disk. Divide into three equal pieces, flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap individually, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and position the rack in the center. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner for easy cookie removal.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a well-floured surface, roll out one dough disk to 1/4-inch thickness. Turn the dough frequently to prevent sticking. Use a 4 to 5-inch cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread shapes. Collect scraps, chill, and roll again as needed.
- Bake Cookies: Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet with at least 1 inch space between them. Bake for about 9-10 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown. Remove and transfer cookies to cooling racks. Avoid over-baking to keep cookies soft.
- Repeat and Store: Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining dough. Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Notes
- For a firmer dough handling, chilling the dough for longer (up to 24 hours) is beneficial.
- Use unsulphured molasses for the best flavor; dark molasses works as a substitute.
- Ensure all ingredients like butter and egg are at room temperature for proper mixing.
- To decorate, let cookies cool completely before applying icing or decorations.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze baked cookies in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
