Description
Homemade gingerbread cookies invite festive cheer with their warm spices and nostalgic charm. Baked with love, these treats deliver comfort and joy that connect family traditions across generations, leaving sweet memories on your plate.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Spices:
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a spacious mixing vessel, thoroughly blending flour, baking soda, baking powder, aromatic spices, and salt until uniformly distributed.
- In a separate container, whip butter and brown sugar together until light and airy, creating a smooth, creamy texture.
- Incorporate molasses, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, stirring until ingredients meld seamlessly.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, gently mixing until a cohesive dough emerges.
- Refrigerate dough for 60 minutes to enhance flavor development and improve texture.
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly dusted work surface, roll dough to a slender 1/4-inch thickness using steady, even pressure.
- Utilize festive cookie cutters to transform dough into decorative shapes, carefully transferring each piece onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching for slightly firm edges and a golden hue. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack, allowing them to set and crisp.
Notes
- Swap out butter for coconut oil to create a dairy-free version that maintains the rich, warm flavor profile of traditional gingerbread cookies.
- Consider using gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies accessible for those with wheat sensitivities while preserving the classic spicy texture.
- Add extra ground ginger or a pinch of black pepper to intensify the warming spice notes and create a more complex flavor depth in each bite.
- Let cookies cool completely before decorating to ensure frosting or royal icing adheres smoothly and prevents cracking or sliding off the surface.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 114 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg