Gingerbread Cookies

5 from 2 votes

These gingerbread cookies are thin and crispy, with a slight soft bite in the center. Cut out your favorite holiday cookie shapes and decorate them any way you want with my easy cookie icing.

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

Refrigeration4

Total Time5 10

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 127kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Stand mixer or electric mixer
Parchment paper and plastic wrap
Rolling Pin
Large baking sheet pans
Piping bag and small piping tip

Ingredients

Gingerbread dough

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature equivalent to 1 ½ sticks
¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
½ cup unsulphured molasses
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Cookie Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk or as needed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the dough

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a stand mixer (with paddle attachment) or using an electric mixer, beat softened butter, brown sugar and molasses over medium-high speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Then, mix in egg and vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Note: Make sure the butter is softened at room temperature (see note below).
Over medium speed, gradually mix in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until evenly combined and no pockets of flour remain. Do not overmix. The dough will be sticky and soft.
Divide dough in half and place each on plastic wrap. Wrap and roll into ⅓ inch flat disks (the flatter they are, the easier it will be to roll out). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Tip: The dough needs to be fully cold so that the cookies hold their shape in the oven. Don’t skip this step.

Assemble and bake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Remove dough from the fridge (work with one disc at a time). Sprinkle dough with flour on both sides. Over a large piece of parchment paper, roll out dough into ⅛ inch thick using a floured rolling pin. Tip: the parchment paper will prevent the dough from sticking to the working surface.
Flour the cookie cutters and cut out shapes. Peel out the outer borders, and use a small spatula to transfer cookies onto the prepared baking sheet pan, about 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps and cut out more cookies. Tip: Place similar sizes on the same sheet pan. Bake times may vary based on size. If needed, brush off any excess flour on the cookies, but don't worry too much - it will bake off.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. Larger cookies will take 9-10 minutes, while smaller cookies may take 8 minutes or so. They are ready when crisp and golden brown around the edges and top. The longer they bake, the crispier they will be. Note: You may need to bake in batches, so place dough in fridge in between batches. It needs to stay cold.
Remove oven and after about 1 minute, transfer cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Decorate

Make the icing: In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar with milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Check for the right consistency: Using the whisk, drizzle the icing down back to the bowl. It should flow pretty easily and not feel too thick, and it should create ribbons as it drizzles back. The drizzles should hold their shape for a few seconds and then melt back. If too thick, add more milk. If too thin, add more sugar.
Transfer icing to a piping bag set up with a small piping tip (or snip off a very small corner from the bag). Decorate cookies as desired, using a toothpick to readjust the icing as needed.
Allow icing to set completely, about 30 minutes, before serving. The cookies will be crisp throughout with a slight soft bite in the center. Enjoy!

Notes

Softened butter: You need to use softened butter for this recipe. You can take out the butter about 2 hours in advance or until softened. A quicker way to soften butter: soften it in the microwave oven in 5 to 10 second intervals. Keep a very close eye on it so it doesn’t melt.
The dough needs to refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. A cold dough will ensure the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
Check for the right icing consistency: Using the whisk, drizzle the icing down back to the bowl. It should flow pretty easily and not feel too thick, and it should create ribbons as it drizzles back. The drizzles should hold their shape for a few seconds and then melt back into the rest of the icing.
Molasses: Make sure you use unsulphured molasses. Don't use blackstrap molasses.
Icing: Once you stop applying pressure, the icing should also stop flowing. If you're having a hard time with this, it probably means it's too thick or too thin. In this case, try re-making the icing.
Make ahead: The dough can be made the day before and refrigerated. Store baked and decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Recommended equipment: stand mixer or electric hand mixer, parchment paper, plastic wrap, rolling pin, cookie cutters, piping bag, small piping tip, toothpicks.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per cookie) are approximates only.

Nutrition