I perfected my Soft Gingerbread Cookies, and I’m finally revealing the single pantry trick that keeps cutouts sharp and makes decorating simple.

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I still get a kid-like thrill when I press the cutter into the dough for my Classic Gingerbread Cookies. This recipe walks the line between crisp edges and a little chew, thanks to ground ginger and a hit of unsulphured molasses that makes the crust sing.

Folks call them Ginger Bread Cut Out Cookies or sometimes the Best Gingerbread Cutout Cookies on my feed, and I never make two batches the same, its part of the fun. I mess up the icing all the time, but those imperfect men start the best conversations about what a perfect gingerbread should even be.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Base of cookies, mostly carbs and some protein, low fibre gives structure
Unsulphured molasses: Deep bittersweet sweetener, mineral rich with iron and calcium, adds dark flavor
Dark brown sugar: Sweet, adds moisture and chew, mostly sucrose so lots of carbs
Unsalted butter: Provides fat, richness and crisp edges, calories are high so use moderate
Ground ginger: Gives warm peppery spice and aroma, tiny antioxidant boost, not sweet
Egg: Binds dough, adds protein and slight lift, helps brown and hold shape
Confectioners sugar: Pure sugar for decorating, dissolves smooth and adds a sweet glossy finish

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses

1 large egg room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For decorating (optional): 2 cups (250 g) confectioners sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or water, food coloring as desired

How to Make this

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1. Whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl and set aside.

2. In a large bowl cream 3/4 cup (170 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down once or twice.

3. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses, 1 large room temperature egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined. It might look a little glossy, that’s fine.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until incorporated, don’t overmix or the cookies will be tough.

5. Turn the dough onto lightly floured plastic wrap or a work surface, press into 2 disks or one log, wrap and chill at least 1 hour in the fridge (overnight is better). Chilling firms the dough so shapes hold up.

6. When ready, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thickness, flouring lightly if it sticks.

7. Cut out gingerbread men or shapes, transfer to prepared sheets spacing about 1 to 2 inches apart. If the dough gets soft, pop the cut shapes on the tray back in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes so they keep their edges.

8. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set but centers still slightly soft. Don’t overbake, they will firm up as they cool.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. For icing (optional): mix 2 cups (250 g) confectioners sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or water to reach piping or flooding consistency, add food coloring as desired; pipe with a bag or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner cut. Let icing set fully before stacking or storing in an airtight container.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl, for whisking the dry ingredients and for the wet stuff; you can use two bowls so you dont have to wash midway.
2. Small bowl, handy for measuring/combining baking soda or the icing if you make it.
3. Electric mixer (hand or stand), to cream butter and brown sugar fast; if you dont have one use a sturdy wooden spoon and some elbow grease.
4. Measuring cups and spoons, accurate measuring keeps the cookies from turning out too dense or too flat.
5. Whisk, to evenly blend flour with spices and break up any lumps.
6. Rubber spatula, to scrape the bowl and fold the dry into the wet without overmixing.
7. Plastic wrap or a zip top bag, to shape the dough into disks or a log and chill it.
8. Rolling pin and 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll between parchment so the dough wont stick and you dont need extra flour.
9. Cookie cutters and a bench scraper or offset spatula, to cut shapes and transfer them cleanly to the baking sheet.
10. Baking sheets lined with parchment and a wire cooling rack, bake one sheet at a time and cool cookies completely so they set right.

FAQ

Q: How long should I chill the dough and why?

A: Chill at least 1 hour, but overnight is best. Cooling firms the butter so the cutters hold shape and it lets the flavors deepen. If its too stiff after chilling, let it sit 10 minutes at room temp before rolling.

Q: What thickness and bake time makes the best gingerbread man?

A: Roll about 1/4 inch thick and bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes. Thinner cookies get crisper, thicker ones stay softer in the middle. Dont overbake or theyll be hard, and let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes so they set.

Q: Can I swap the molasses or use something else?

A: Unsulphured molasses gives the classic flavor. Light molasses is milder, dark is stronger. You can use dark corn syrup 1 for 1 in a pinch but the taste will change. Avoid blackstrap unless you like bitter stuff.

Q: How do I keep cookies from spreading or cracking?

A: Most spreading comes from butter thats too warm or not chilling the cut shapes. Chill cut cookies 10 to 20 minutes before baking, use a cool baking sheet and dont overwork the dough. Cracks can also mean your oven temp is too high or you used too much leavening.

Q: Can I freeze the dough or the baked cookies?

A: Yes. Freeze wrapped dough as a disk or freeze cut shapes on a tray then bag them for up to 3 months. You can also freeze baked cookies in airtight containers up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temp before decorating.

Q: Quick tips for decorating icing that actually looks good?

A: For piping use thicker icing, for flooding thin it with a little water or milk till it flows. Gel food color is better than liquid so you dont water it down. Use a zip top bag and snip a tiny corner to pipe, and pipe outlines first then flood, its easier that way.

Classic Gingerbread Cookies: What’s Your ‘Perfect’ Gingerbread Man? Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: Try a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend (one that contains xanthan gum) as a straight swap, chill the dough well since texture changes; or use whole wheat flour 1:1 but expect a denser, slightly drier cookie, add 1 tablespoon milk or cut baking time a bit if it seems too crumbly.
Unsalted butter: Swap with solid coconut oil 1:1 for a dairy-free version, you’ll get a faint coconut note and should chill dough before cutting; or use vegetable shortening 1:1 for crisper edges, or stick margarine 1:1 in a pinch though flavor will be less rich.
Unsulphured molasses: If you don’t have it, use dark corn syrup 1:1 for similar moisture but milder flavor, or use pure maple syrup 1:1 (cookies will be sweeter and less “gingerbread-y”); you can also stir 1 tablespoon molasses into 1 cup packed brown sugar to boost that deep molasses taste if low on syrup.
1 large egg: For vegan or egg-free, make a flax “egg” (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes) as a binder; or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for moisture (cookies will be a bit softer); commercial egg replacer works too, follow package directions.

Pro Tips

1. If you need the dough ready fast, wrap it tight and stick it in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, not the fridge. It firms up quick so cutters make cleaner edges, but dont let it freeze solid or itll crack when you roll it, just let it sit a few minutes at room temp if that happens.

2. Boost the spice and depth: warm the ground spices in a dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant, or grate fresh nutmeg at the last minute, it makes a big difference. For a richer cookie try browning half the butter, cool it before mixing. A tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt right after baking wakes up the flavors.

3. Better icing, less stress: add a teaspoon of light corn syrup to your icing for shine and slower setting, or use meringue powder if you want strong, pipeable royal icing. Use a zip top bag with a tiny corner cut or a squeeze bottle for flooding, and pop any air bubbles with a toothpick before it crusts.

4. Tools and oven hacks: use an oven thermometer so you know the real temp, bake on light colored pans to avoid dark bottoms, and use a thin metal spatula to lift shapes cleanly. If a cutter sticks, dust it with a little powdered sugar instead of flour to avoid dry, white streaks.

Classic Gingerbread Cookies: What's Your 'Perfect' Gingerbread Man? Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected my Soft Gingerbread Cookies, and I'm finally revealing the single pantry trick that keeps cutouts sharp and makes decorating simple.

Servings

servings

Calories

147

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl, for whisking the dry ingredients and for the wet stuff; you can use two bowls so you dont have to wash midway.
2. Small bowl, handy for measuring/combining baking soda or the icing if you make it.
3. Electric mixer (hand or stand), to cream butter and brown sugar fast; if you dont have one use a sturdy wooden spoon and some elbow grease.
4. Measuring cups and spoons, accurate measuring keeps the cookies from turning out too dense or too flat.
5. Whisk, to evenly blend flour with spices and break up any lumps.
6. Rubber spatula, to scrape the bowl and fold the dry into the wet without overmixing.
7. Plastic wrap or a zip top bag, to shape the dough into disks or a log and chill it.
8. Rolling pin and 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll between parchment so the dough wont stick and you dont need extra flour.
9. Cookie cutters and a bench scraper or offset spatula, to cut shapes and transfer them cleanly to the baking sheet.
10. Baking sheets lined with parchment and a wire cooling rack, bake one sheet at a time and cool cookies completely so they set right.

Ingredients

3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses
1 large egg room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For decorating (optional): 2 cups (250 g) confectioners sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or water, food coloring as desired

Directions

Whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl cream 3/4 cup (170 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down once or twice.
Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses, 1 large room temperature egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined. It might look a little glossy, that’s fine.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until incorporated, don’t overmix or the cookies will be tough.
Turn the dough onto lightly floured plastic wrap or a work surface, press into 2 disks or one log, wrap and chill at least 1 hour in the fridge (overnight is better). Chilling firms the dough so shapes hold up.
When ready, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thickness, flouring lightly if it sticks.
Cut out gingerbread men or shapes, transfer to prepared sheets spacing about 1 to 2 inches apart. If the dough gets soft, pop the cut shapes on the tray back in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes so they keep their edges.
Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set but centers still slightly soft. Don’t overbake, they will firm up as they cool.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For icing (optional): mix 2 cups (250 g) confectioners sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or water to reach piping or flooding consistency, add food coloring as desired; pipe with a bag or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner cut. Let icing set fully before stacking or storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.