CLASSIC GINGERBREAD COOKIES
TRADITIONAL GINGERBREAD COOKIES THAT ARE full of spice and molasses with the perfect snap.
SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER | QUANTITY: 14-20 COOKIES
LISTS
GROCERY LIST:
¾ stick | Unsalted Butter
1 large | Egg
¾ cup | Dark Brown Sugar
2 ½-3 cups | Confectioners’ Sugar
½ cup | Molasses
3 cups | All-purpose Flour (plus more for rolling out dough - about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon | Baking Soda
1 ½ teaspoons | Baking Powder
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon | Ground Ginger
2 teaspoons | Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon | Ground Cloves
2 teaspoons | Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon & 1 ½ teaspoons | Meringue Powder
1 | Orange
KITCHENWARE:
2 18x13-inch Baking Sheets
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer w/ Large Mixing Bowl
Large Mixing Bowl
Measuring Spoons & Cups, Sieve (fine mesh strainer), Rubber Spatula, Rolling Pin, Cookie Cutter(s) & Baggies
PREP
Helpful tips!
Let butter and egg come to room temperature by leaving out for about 1 hour*.
If you can’t find meringue powder for the royal icing, you can substitute meringue powder and water for about 1-2 pasteurized egg whites.
Double, triple or quadruple the recipe for more cookies!
*Dependent on the temperature of your home
BAKE
COOKIE DOUGH:
3 cups | All-purpose Flour
1 ½ teaspoons | Baking Powder
1 teaspoon | Baking Soda
1 tablespoon | Ground Ginger
2 teaspoons | Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon | Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
¾ stick | Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
¾ cup | Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
1 large | Egg (room temperature)
½ cup | Molasses
2 teaspoons | Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon | Orange Zest
ROYAL ICING:
2 ½-3 cups | Confectioners’ Sugar (sifted)
1 tablespoon & 1 ½ teaspoons | Meringue Powder
5 tablespoons | Water (room temperature)
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl. Add salt, mix and set aside.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, combine butter, sugar and egg in a large bowl on medium speed until well combined. Add molasses, vanilla and orang zest and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined and there is no visible flour. Batter will be thick. Use a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients at the bottom and around the edges are incorporated.
Dump cookie dough onto plastic wrap, form into disc, warp tightly and chill in fridge for for 8 hours or overnight.
Once chilled and firm, remove cookie dough from fridge and let come back to room temperature. Attempting to roll out cold gingerbread dough will result in a cracked dough!
Preheat oven to 375° F and space out oven racks for even baking.
Once at room temperature, lightly flour surface and dough. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out until it is about ¼-inch thick.
Use cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and place cookies on baking sheets.
Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Rotate baking sheets to ensure an even bake and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes (depends on shape/sizes), until cookies are a deep brown. Let cookies firm up a bit, about 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
Once cookies are completely cooled, make the royal icing by combining ingredients in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Add icing to baggies, create small openings and decorate cookies. Let icing set for at least 1 hour.
Store leftovers in wrapped plastic or airtight container at room temperature.
