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Classic Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

A plate of beautifully decorated gingerbread cookies in various festive shapes like gingerbread men, snowflakes, and Christmas trees.
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Bake traditional spiced gingerbread cookies perfect for cutting into festive shapes and decorating. This recipe yields sturdy, yet chewy cookies that capture the essence of holiday baking.

Ingredients

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  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg until well combined.
  4. Stir in the molasses and vanilla extract until smooth.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. The dough will be stiff.
  6. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
  7. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
  9. Cut out desired shapes using cookie cutters.
  10. Carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
  11. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. For cookies intended for hanging, bake a minute or two longer until firm.
  12. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Decorate with royal icing once fully cooled.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is essential for easy rolling and cutting.
  • For crispier cookies, roll the dough slightly thinner and bake for a minute or two longer.
  • Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • Consider using a sous-vide precision cooker to perfectly temper eggs if your recipe requires it, though not for this specific gingerbread recipe.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/gingerbread-cookies-recipe/