Gingerbread Cookies
Making gingerbread cookies this holiday? This is the recipe for you! These cookies have a wonderfully traditional molasses and spice flavor, a tender texture that's not too hard, and the dough is a dream to work with. No spreading in the oven! Keep your cute shapes and neat edges.
Servings: 32 cookies (approx.- varies based on size and shape of cookie cutter(s) used
Calories: 190kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened slightly but still cool
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar (tightly packed)
- 1 cup molasses
- 2 eggs large
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour (approx., you'll probably use somewhere between 5 and 6 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, and cream together until smooth.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, add the molasses, and mix until combined.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Add the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves, and mix on medium-low speed until combined.
- Add about ⅔ of the flour, then mix on low speed until incorporated (the dough will look very dry and crumbly at first, but will come together after a minute or so).
- Add in the remaining flour, a little at a time, until the dough forms a ball and comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. (If the dough still seems sticky, add up to an additional 1 cup of flour, until it is smooth and easier to handle.)
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of ⅜-inch (rolling pin rings help to achieve an even and exact thickness) between 2 sheets of parchment paper, and cut shapes with cookie cutters.
- Transfer shapes to the prepared baking sheets, and bake until set around the edges but still quite moist and soft towards the centers (approx. 7 to 9 minutes) .
- Cool on the baking sheets, then decorate with royal icing.
Video
Notes
This recipe works really well for gingerbread houses too!
Get the icing recipe for decorating here: Royal Icing.
Nutrition
Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 193IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg