Description
These soft gingerbread cookies are warm, spiced, and easy to make at home, perfect for cozy holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- (Optional) Food coloring – red, green, or any festive hue
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until even.
- In a larger bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until smooth and light. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla, and beat until combined.
- Slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, press into flat disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Dust the surface lightly with flour, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick, and cut with cookie cutters. Place shapes on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 8–10 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges but still soft in the center. Let cool on the sheet for 2 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing, mix the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons milk, adding more milk until a thick, spreadable consistency is reached. If desired, color with food coloring.
- Decorate the cookies with icing and allow the icing to set for at least an hour before stacking.
Notes
Store undecorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies with parchment between layers for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg