Yields: About 2 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes (+ chilling time)
Bake Time: 8-12 minutes
Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses (unsulphured)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional for Rolling: Granulated sugar
Equipment
- Large and medium bowls
- Whisk
- Electric mixer (stand mixer or handheld)
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cooling rack
Instructions:
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice (if using). Set aside.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and brown sugar. Beat for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Molasses, Egg, and Vanilla: Beat in the molasses until well combined. Then add the egg and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half, form into discs, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll and Cut: Remove dough from refrigerator and let rest for 5 minutes at room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disc to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
- Optional Sugar Coating: If desired, roll dough balls lightly in granulated sugar before placing on the baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Watch carefully so they don’t overbake!
- Cool and Decorate: Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate with icing if desired.
Tips:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature butter, egg, and molasses makes blending easier.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
- Chill Time: Chilling helps the dough firm up making rolling and cutting easier.
- Adjust Spices: Play with the spice ratios to suit your taste.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Enjoy your homemade gingerbread treats!
