Classic Gingerbread Spiced Cookies (Printer-friendly)

Soft and spiced gingerbread treats with molasses, ideal for festive shaping and decorating.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

14 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar (optional)

→ For Decorating

15 - Royal icing or simple glaze
16 - Colored sprinkles (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and dark brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture; beat until evenly combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated; the dough will remain soft.
05 - Divide dough into two discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Optionally, sprinkle with granulated sugar.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are just firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Once cooled, decorate cookies with royal icing and sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like the holidays without needing fancy skills or ingredients you'll never use again.
  • The dough is forgiving and actually gets better after sitting in the fridge, so you can make it days ahead when life is less chaotic.
  • One batch fills your entire house with a smell so good you'll understand why people pay for scented candles.
02 -
  • The difference between soft and hard gingerbread cookies is literally one minute in the oven—I learned this by ruining three batches and finally timing myself carefully.
  • Unsulphured molasses is non-negotiable; blackstrap tastes like bitter regret and will ruin the whole batch, which I also learned the hard way.
  • Cold dough is your friend here; it prevents spreading and gives you cleaner cookie shapes, plus it rolls out without sticking to your rolling pin.
03 -
  • Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling with a knife, or use a kitchen scale if you have one—this prevents dense cookies more than anything else.
  • Don't skip chilling the dough; cold dough means sharper cookie cutter edges and less spread, which equals cookies that look like actual shapes instead of amorphous blobs.
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