My Favorite Gingerbread Cookies

Whenever I think of Christmas cookies, gingerbread cookies come to mind first. Well, after Christmas sugar cookies of course! Their spice, their molasses flavor, their SMILES, and their charm are obviously irresistible. Gingerbread cookies, you have my heart.

Gingerbread Cookies Video Tutorial

I’ve never shared a gingerbread cookie recipe on my blog before. The truth is, I haven’t been able to find “the one” I’m proud of to post on my blog. I’ve tried them for the past few years and, while each batch is certainly tasty, I’m always left disappointed in the flavor and texture department. So, I made it a point to really work on a perfect gingerbread men cookie recipe. Or at least one that is perfect in my eyes and on my tastebuds! You’ll love these too.

My Favorite Gingerbread Cookies
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 0 About 45 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cookies :

•     3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•     3/4 teaspoon baking soda
•     1 tablespoon ground ginger
•     1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
•     1/2 teaspoon salt
•     1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•     3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
•     3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
•     1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
•     1 large egg
•     1/2 cup packed brown sugar
•     1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•     (optional) zest of one small orange
•     optional toppings: simple icing (see below), red hots, sprinkles, etc.

Simple Icing :

•     2–3 tablespoons milk
•     2 cups powdered sugar
•     1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To Make The Gingerbread Cookies:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. In an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or alternately, you can use a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl), beat the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Add in eggs, molasses and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low, and gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
3. Divide the dough into two equal portions, and form them each into a ball.  Then gently use your hands to flatten each ball into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Once the dough is thoroughly chilled and you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
5. Unwrap the dough and place it on a large, lightly-floured hard surface.  Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough evenly until it is approximately 1/8-inch thick.  Then use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes, re-rolling the dough as needed to cut out more.  Transfer to parchment-covered baking sheets.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are crisp around the edges and on top. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
7. Once the cookies are room temperature, feel free to decorate them as desired with the icing (see below) plus any extra sprinkles or candies.  Serve and enjoy immediately, or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days.

To Make The Simple Icing:

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.  If your icing is too thin, add in a little more powdered sugar.  If your icing is too thick, add in a tiny bit of milk.
2. Use a piping bag, or a ziplock bag (with the corner snipped off), or a plastic squeeze bottle to pipe the icing onto the cookies.

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