Servings 24 cookies
Equipment
- Cookie cutters
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 recipe Royal Icing (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set the mixture aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the molasses then beat in the egg and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides as needed. (The mixture may look separated, which is normal.)
- Add the flour mixture in increments and mix just until combined.
- Divide the dough in half and roll each piece between two sheets of parchment paper until the dough is 1/4”-thick. Refrigerate the sheets of dough on a baking sheet for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out your preferred shapes and transfer them onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 inches apart. Dough scraps can be gathered and re-rolled between two sheets of parchment paper, refrigerating the dough again if necessary.
- Refrigerate the cut-out cookies for 15 minutes (or freeze them for 5 minutes).
- Bake the cookies just until they are set, 8 to 11 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with icing (optional) then serve.
Notes
- Molasses: Use regular unsulphured molasses for the best flavor. My go-to brand is Grandma's Original. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which is much more bitter and can overpower the warm spices.
- Cookie cutter size: This recipe makes about 24 cookies when using 3- to 4-inch cookie cutters. Smaller or larger cutters will affect the yield and may require adjusting the baking time.
- For crispier cookies: Bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on the edges.
- Decorating: Once the cookies have cooled completely, decorate them with my royal icing or easy sugar cookie icing. Both are perfect for decorating gingerbread men, Christmas trees and other festive shapes!
- Make ahead: The rolled-out dough can be refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.
- Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If decorated with royal icing, let the icing dry completely before stacking.
- Freezing: Freeze completely cooled, undecorated cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, with parchment paper between layers. Thaw at room temperature before decorating or serving.
- Can I use this dough to make a gingerbread house? I wouldn't recommend it! This recipe is designed for soft, chewy cookies, not the sturdy walls and roof pieces needed for a gingerbread house.
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