Classic Cut Out Gingerbread Cookies (Printable)
Soft spiced gingerbread cookies ideal for festive shapes and holiday decorating with colorful icing and sprinkles.
# 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
# Directions:
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 the softened butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and creamy (about 2 minutes).
03 - Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low until a thick dough forms.
05 - Divide dough into two equal portions. Flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
08 - Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are just starting to turn golden. Let cool 2 minutes on pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Stir powdered sugar with 2-3 tbsp milk or water until smooth but not runny. Add more liquid for thinner consistency if desired.
11 - Decorate cookies with icing and sprinkles when fully cooled. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough rolls out like a dream after proper chilling, no sticking or tearing
- These cookies stay soft for days in an airtight container, unlike crunchy ginger snaps
- The spice balance hits that perfect spot between warming and festive without being overwhelming
02 -
- Skip the chilling step and your carefully cut shapes will puff and spread into unrecognizable blobs in the oven
- Overworking the dough when rerolling scraps makes tough cookies, so gather scraps gently and only reroll once
- Decorating warm cookies will cause your icing to slide right off the surface
03 -
- Add a pinch of black pepper or orange zest to your dough for subtle complexity that people notice but cannot quite place
- Line your cookie sheets with fresh parchment for each batch to prevent bottom browning and sticking