Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are a must for Christmas. Whether you make simple circles or use your gingerbread man cookie cutter, this soft gingerbread recipe is perfect. I love to put these on a pretty tray with my homemade gingersnap cookies and on top of our gingerbread trifle.

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Soft gingerbread men or cute spicy faces are ideal for Christmas parties or placed in a cellophane bag for gift giving.

Ingredients you will need:

• Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves
• Wet ingredients: unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, eggs, molasses, vanilla extract
• Decorations: gumdrops, candy coated chocolate, decorator icing, nonpareils

Helpful baking tools:

• Stand mixer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rolling pin
• Cookie cutters in circles and gingerbread man shape
• Insulated baking sheets
• Silicone baking mat
• Wire cooling racks

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Baking Tips:

• Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Return to room temp before using.
• If you want softer cookies, roll the dough a bit thicker than the recipe suggests.
• Cookie cutter tip – it’s easiest to roll the dough out on the parchment, cut out the cookies and remove the outer pieces, leaving the cookie shapes on the parchment. Then lift the parchment up at one side, so that the cookie shape is now upside down, place your hand under it and peel the parchment off the back of the cookie. The cookie will land gently in your hand and won’t get stretched out of shape like it would if you lift the cookie from the surface and place it on the pan.

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies

We aren’t going to preheat the oven right away because the cookie dough rests for about 2 hours before baking. You can go ahead and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper to get ready.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
2. In stand mixer beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
3. Add molasses and vanilla and continue to mix until well blended. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
4. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
6. Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin. Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick. Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
7. Cut out cookies with desired cutter.

8. Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies). Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.

These cookies are delicious dipped in melted chocolate too! If you don’t have time to decorate, drizzle with some chocolate and you’re just as fancy.

More Cookie Recipes

• Shortbread Cookies
• Italian Anisette Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Peanut Butter Cookies
• Gingerbread Football Cookies
• Paintbrush Cookies
• Melted Snowman Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Soft gingerbread men or cute spicy faces are ideal for Christmas parties or placed in a cellophane bag for gift giving.

5 from 14 votes

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24 cookies

2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Calories: 134

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ ½ cup molasses
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla

Things You'll Need

• ▢
  Stand mixer
• ▢
  Measuring cups and spoons
• ▢
  Rolling pin
• ▢
  Cookie cutters
• ▢
  Insulated baking sheets
• ▢
  Silicone baking mat
• ▢
  Wire cooling racks

Before You Begin

• Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Return to room temp before using.
• If you want softer cookies, roll the dough a bit thicker than the recipe suggests.
• Cookie cutter tip - it’s easiest to roll the dough out on the parchment, cut out the cookies and remove the outer pieces, leaving the cookie shapes on the parchment. Then lift the parchment up at one side, so that the cookie shape is now upside down, place your hand under it and peel the parchment off the back of the cookie. The cookie will land gently in your hand and won’t get stretched out of shape like it would if you lift the cookie from the surface and place it on the pan.

• Decorations: gumdrops, candy coated chocolate, decorator icing, nonpareils

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
• In stand mixer beat butter, dark brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended. Add molasses and vanilla and continue to mix until well blended. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375°. Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin. Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick. Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• Cut out cookies with desired cutter. It’s easiest to roll the dough out on the parchment, cut out the cookies and remove the outer pieces, leaving the cookie shapes on the parchment. Then lift the parchment up at one side, so that the cookie shape is now upside down, place your hand under it and peel the parchment off the back of the cookie. The cookie will land gently in your hand and won’t get stretched out of shape like it would if you lift the cookie from the surface and place it on the pan.
• Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies). Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 134cal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

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This post originally appeared here on Dec 20, 2010.