Classic Cut Out Gingerbread Cookies (Printable)
Soft spiced cookies ideal for cutting into shapes and decorating with colorful icing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 tsp baking soda
03 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
04 - 1 tbsp ground ginger
05 - 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cloves
07 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 tsp 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 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ For Decorating
14 - 2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tbsp milk or water
16 - Assorted sprinkles, colored sugars, or edible pearls
# How to Make It:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture; mix until thoroughly combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a thick, uniform dough forms.
05 - Divide dough into two equal portions. Flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
08 - Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges just start to turn golden.
09 - Let cookies cool 2 minutes on baking pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Stir powdered sugar with 2-3 tbsp milk or water until smooth but not runny. Adjust liquid for desired consistency.
11 - Decorate fully cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- The dough is incredibly forgiving and bakes up perfectly tender every single time
- These cookies strike that magical balance between soft and sturdy for decorating
02 -
- Chilling the dough is non negotiable or your cookies will spread into unrecognizable blobs
- Rolling dough to exactly 1/4 inch is the sweet spot for cookies that are neither too crisp nor too cakey
03 -
- Rotate your baking sheets halfway through for evenly browned cookies
- Flour your workspace and rolling pin generously but shake off excess to prevent tough cookies