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These spiced gingerbread treats deliver a soft, buttery bite with perfect warming flavors. They've got that sweet-spicy balance that works great plain or dressed up with frosting. It's the kind of holiday baking that makes your kitchen smell amazing and keeps everyone coming back for more!
What Makes These Treats Special
Our gingerbread goodies stay wonderfully soft and pack tons of flavor without complicated steps. They're your go-to holiday staple that won't lose shape when baked, so your cutout designs stay sharp. You can enjoy them plain, get fancy with icing, or bake them longer for extra crunch - they'll work any way you want.
Ingredients for Gingerbread Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour: 3 cups, with extra nearby for rolling.
- Ground Spices:
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- Butter: 3/4 cup, softened.
- Dark Brown Sugar: 3/4 cup, packed.
- Molasses: 2/3 cup, unsulphured.
- Egg: 1 large, room temperature.
- Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon.
- Salt: 1/4 teaspoon.
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon.
Steps to Make Gingerbread Cookies
- Mix Dry Ingredients
- Combine flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl with a quick whisk.
- Cream Butter and Sugar
- Use a mixer to blend butter and brown sugar until fluffy, taking about 2-3 minutes. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Form Dough
- Slowly add the dry stuff to your wet mixture until you get a soft dough. Cut it in half, wrap each piece in plastic, and let it chill for at least 3 hours.
- Roll and Cut
- Take your cold dough and roll it out to 1/4-inch thick on a floured countertop. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and put them on lined baking sheets.
- Bake
- Pop them in a 350°F oven for 9-10 minutes if you want them soft, or 11-12 minutes for crunchier results. Let them cool completely before adding any decorations.
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Finishing Touches and Keeping Fresh
Add some flair to your cookies with royal icing or buttercream for that holiday look. They'll stay fresh in a sealed container at room temp for about 4 days. If you want to plan ahead, you can freeze the dough for up to 3 months, or bake them extra crispy if you're making a gingerbread house.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why should the dough rest in the fridge?
- When the dough chills, the flour absorbs liquid, and the butter firms up. This makes rolling smooth and helps cookies hold their shape during baking.
- → How thick does the dough need to be rolled?
- Aim for about 1/3 inch thick! It keeps the cookies soft without turning them tough or too crunchy after baking.
- → Can you freeze these cookies?
- Absolutely! Wrap dough in plastic wrap and store for up to 3 months in the freezer. Baked cookies store well airtight for 2 months.
- → What's special about unsulfured molasses?
- It has a milder flavor compared to sulfured molasses. That means your cookies have a balanced taste without too much bitterness.
- → When do you take the cookies out of the oven?
- These cookies puff up slightly, and the edges remain light, not dark. Leave them on the sheet for 3 minutes to firm up nicely.