Why You’ll Love These
Gingerbread cookies are a must-make for the Christmas holiday season. This recipe is easy to make, cuts out, and keeps its shape while baking. They are the perfect combination of texture and flavor! So easy to make with the kids, they love the gingerbread people! These cookies turn out perfectly every time. Crispy edges with a perfectly soft, tender center. The classic flavors of Christmas for gifting during the holidays! We also love making these eggnog cookies, cut-out sugar cookies, and Italian butterball cookies during the Christmas holidays.
Key Ingredients
Cookie Dough – All-purpose flour, baking soda, eggs, and salt.Seasonings -Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, molasses, and dark brown sugar make up the flavor profile of the best gingerbread cookies recipe.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat to combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide the dough in half, flatten each into a 1″ disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Once chilled thoroughly, roll the dough out using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8″ thick. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Decorate Gingerbread Cookies
Mix the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, corn syrup, milk, and a pinch of salt. It should be quite thick. Adjust if it’s too thick with 1/2 tablespoon more milk, or too thin with a tablespoon of powdered sugar. This icing sets up like royal icing. Decorate the ginger molasses cookies and allow the icing to set completely before storing. My daughter was the artist of these pretty gingerbread cookies. I will admit mine didn’t look as professional as hers. We use icing bags and squeeze bottles. The bottles seem to work better for us. You can also tint some of the icing whatever colors you like.
Tips and Variations
Measure the flour correctly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.Use room-temperature eggs and butter for easier blending and a better cookie texture.Be sure to chill the dough (overnight is best); this helps roll them out, and there will be fewer cracks. It also gives the flavors time to come together.If you drizzle a little of the icing with the whisk, a ribbon of icing will hold for a few seconds before melting back into the icing. That is when you know it’s the right consistency and is ready to use. You can decorate them with the icing as instructed or use gumdrops, mini chocolate chips, red hots, or sprinkles.
