Description
Delight in these classic Gingerbread Cookies, perfect for the holiday season with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, a rich molasses sweetness, and a tender, chewy texture. These easy-to-make cookies hold their shape beautifully thanks to a chilled dough and are ready to be decorated for festive cheer.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g, plus more for rolling)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp orange zest (optional for festive lift)
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional for cozy depth)
- Pinch of black pepper (optional for subtle warmth)
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170 g, softened)
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed, 150 g)
- 2/3 cup unsulphured molasses (160 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, nutmeg, and black pepper if using. Set aside so the spices distribute evenly.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create tender cookies.
- Add the molasses and egg: Beat in the molasses until fully blended, then add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix just until smooth and combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed. Stop as soon as there are no streaks of flour to avoid tough cookies.
- Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two discs, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Chilling helps the dough hold its shape and prevents spreading.
- Roll and cut: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disc to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and space them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. If the dough softens or becomes sticky, refrigerate cut shapes for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake and cool: Bake smaller cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and larger ones for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate if desired: Ensure cookies are fully cooled before adding icing or royal icing decorations.
Notes
- Use unsulphured molasses to achieve the authentic deep flavor characteristic of gingerbread.
- Softened butter (not melted) is critical for creaming properly and producing tender, well-shaped cookies.
- Adjust cloves for spice preference: reduce to 1/4 tsp for milder flavor or keep 1/2 tsp for bold warmth.
- Chilling dough is essential to prevent cookie spreading and help with easier cutting of shapes.
- If cookies spread or lose shape, chill dough or cut shapes longer before baking.
- Remove cookies from oven slightly earlier if you prefer softer cookies, as they firm up while cooling.
