Classic spiced gingerbread cookies (Printable)

Classic spiced gingerbread cutouts, perfect for festive shaping and decorating during holiday times.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

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

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1/2 cup molasses
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Rolling and Decorating

13 - All-purpose flour for dusting
14 - Royal icing, sprinkles, or candies (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until evenly blended.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter with dark brown sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, blending just until dough forms without overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape each half into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.
08 - Using cookie cutters, cut dough into shapes and arrange them 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and just beginning to brown, adjusting time for desired softness.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing, sprinkles, or candies as desired.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and actually gets better when you chill it overnight, which means less stress and more time to prepare your decorating station.
  • These cookies stay crispy on the edges but tender inside, striking that perfect balance that makes people reach for a second one without thinking.
  • You can decorate as simply or elaborately as you want, turning them into a calm, meditative activity instead of a rushed chore.
02 -
  • These cookies will feel soft when they come out of the oven, but they firm up as they cool, so don't bake them longer than 10 minutes or they'll be hard and brittle instead of that perfect snap.
  • If your dough cracks when you roll it, let it warm up for a few minutes on the counter—cold dough is brittle, and room temperature dough is forgiving and easy to work with.
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of flour next to you while rolling because a light dusting prevents sticking without toughening the dough the way too much flour does.
  • If you want to freeze the baked cookies, wrap them in parchment first, then store in an airtight container for up to three months—they thaw in about 20 minutes at room temperature.

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