Easy Classic Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Bake beautiful gingerbread cookies for the holiday season. Our classic gingerbread cookie recipe creates a delightful treat for your family.
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As the holiday season approaches, there’s a certain charm in filling your home with the delightful smells of gingerbread cookies. These classic treats not only taste amazing but also add a festive touch to your holiday parties.
If you’re looking for a rewarding and delicious activity during the holidays, this classic gingerbread cookie recipe is a must-try.
Classic Gingerbread Cookie Dough Recipe
Our Classic Gingerbread Cookie recipe combines the warmth of traditional holiday flavors with the joy of decorating, making it a perfect project for busy moms and cookie enthusiasts. So, gather your kiddos or enjoy some solo downtime and get lost in baking. These charming gingerbread cookies are the best way to share some holiday cheer.
Ingredients for Classic Gingerbread Cookies:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup unsulfured or dark molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Icing of your choice
Baking Up Your Gingerbread Cookie Dough
Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, salt, and a delightful mix of spices – ginger, cinnamon, all-spice, and cloves – in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, use a handheld or standing mixer to beat the butter until it’s smooth. Add the brown sugar and molasses, continuing to beat until creamy. Then, mix in the egg and vanilla for about two minutes.
Combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture, beating on low speed until everything is well combined.
Divide the dough into two parts, forming them into disks. Place the dough in a bowl and cover it. The dough needs to chill for at least 3 hours and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. This step is essential for the perfect gingerbread cookies.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
Roll out the chilled dough on a generously floured work surface. It may crack during rolling, but that’s perfectly fine. Mend any cracks with your fingers as you go. The dough will become smoother with continued rolling.
Repeat this process with both disks of dough, then cut out shapes using your gingerbread man cookie cutter. Reroll the scraps and cut out more shapes until all the dough is used.
Place the cookies in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. If your cookies are smaller than 4 inches, start with 8 minutes. For larger cookies, bake for around 11 minutes.
Decorating Your Gingerbread Men Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Once they’re fully cooled, your gingerbread cookies are ready to be decorated to your heart’s content.
Add eyes, a smile, and decorate their arms and legs!
I recommend using this royal icing recipe in a piping bag. If you don’t have time to make it yourself, this store-bought icing is also a great option!
Ways to Share Your Christmas Cookies
Each year we spend an afternoon making a mess in the kitchen and baking several different Christmas cookies. But our family doesn’t need to EAT them all!
We love buying cookie tins, adding a few of each cookie recipe in the tin, and topping it with one or two gingerbread cookies. The gingerbread men make the tins look so polished and downright AMAZING.
Gingerbread Men Cookie Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it for later use?
Yes, you can freeze the gingerbread cookie dough for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
Can I use different types of molasses for this recipe?
You can use unsulfured or dark molasses, whichever you prefer.
What’s the best way to store gingerbread cookies to keep them fresh?
Store your gingerbread cookies in an airtight container, and they’ll stay fresh for several days.
Do I need to use a gingerbread man cookie cutter, or can I use other shapes?
Feel free to get creative and use various cookie cutters to create different shapes for your gingerbread cookies! Again, be sure your dough has chilled before cutting and baking.
Can I use royal icing for decorating these cookies?
Absolutely! Royal icing works wonderfully for creating beautiful and intricate designs.
How can I make the gingerbread cookies soft and chewy?
To keep your gingerbread cookies soft and chewy, avoid overbaking them. Stick to the recommended baking times.
What other occasions can I make gingerbread cookies for, besides Christmas?
Gingerbread cookies are perfect for various occasions, like Thanksgiving, winter celebrations, or whenever you’re in the mood for a delicious treat!
More Christmas Treats You’ll Love
Easy Classic Gingerbread Cookies
Bake beautiful gingerbread cookies for the holiday season. Our classic gingerbread cookie recipe creates a delightful treat for your family.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup unsulphured or dark molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Icing of your choice
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, all-spice, and cloves.
2. In a separate large bowl, using a handheld or standing mixer, beat the butter for one minute until smooth. Add the brown sugar and molasses and continue to beat until creamy. Then, add in the egg and vanilla and mix for two minutes.
3. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat on low speed until well combined.
4. Separate the dough into two parts and form both into a disk shape. Place the dough into a bowl and cover. The dough will need to chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. This step is necessary.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
6. Remove the chilled dough and generously flour your work surface. Begin to roll out the dough. It is likely that the dough will crack. Work slowly and as you notice a crack while rolling, mend the crack using your fingers. The dough will become smoother as you continue to roll. Repeat the process with both disks of dough. Cut into shapes using your gingerbread man cookie cutter. Reroll the scraps and cut into shapes until all the dough is gone.
7. Place the cookies into the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. If your cookies are smaller than 4 inches, start with 8 minutes. If they are larger than 4 inches, bake for approximately 11 minutes.
8. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack. The cookies are ready to decorate as desired once fully cooled.
Notes
To keep cookies chewy, avoid overbaking.
You can decorate with homemade royal icing in a piping bag or choose store-bought royal cooking icing.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 183Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 111mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g
