Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies:

Gingerbread is made with the following simple ingredients: brown sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, butter, milk, and molasses!

Make the Gingerbread: Mix flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add chunks of butter and incorporate them with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix in the molasses and milk until combined.

(Courtesy of Lauren Allen)

Refrigerate: Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours or overnight.

Roll the Dough: When ready to bake, roll out the dough to ½ inch thickness, use cookie cutters to cut gingerbread men, and place them on your cookie sheet.  Bake them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Once cool, frost and decorate, if desired! You can use any kind of frosting or icing, and candy. It really is the best gingerbread cookies recipe!

(Courtesy of Lauren Allen)

Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Make the gingerbread and store it, well covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Roll out and cut into cookies when ready to bake.  You can also bake the cookies and freeze them.

To Freeze: wrap the dough really well in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for 2-3 months. Allow the dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before attempting to roll. Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

For more holiday magic, try roasting chestnuts!

(Courtesy of Lauren Allen)

Gingerbread Man Cookies

Author: Lauren Allen
Servings: 24 (Depending On Size Of Cookie Cutter)
Calories: 214
Cost: 5
Prep 25 Mins
Cook 10 Mins
Refrigerate 2 Hrs
Total 35 Mins

Equipment

• Rolling Pin
• Pastry Blender
• Hand mixer

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar , packed
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 Tablespoons butter , room temperature, cut into 12 pieces
• 3/4 cup molasses (dark molasses)
• 2 Tablespoons milk

For the Frosting

• 2 Tbs butter , room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

Add flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt to a mixing bowl and mix.

Add the butter pieces and use a pastry blender to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles fine meal.

With a mixer running on low speed gradually add the molasses and milk and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.

Divide the dough in half, forming each into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, until firm, if you’re in a hurry.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one dough sheet from the fridge/freezer and place on the counter. Roll out the dough (use a little flour on your rolling pin if needed), until it’s about ½ inch thick. Cut gingerbread men and place them on prepared baking sheets.

Refrigerate the gingerbread men for 5 minutes (meanwhile you can roll out the other dough ball).

Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes (depending on the size of your cookie cutter). Do not overbake!!

Remove the cookies to a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.

Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

For the Frosting:

Add butter, milk, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add additional cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add frosting to piping bag if desired.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: Make the gingerbread cookie dough and store it, well covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Roll out and cut into cookies when ready to bake. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them.

Freezing Instructions: Wrap dough really well in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator before attempting to roll. Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition
Calories: 214kcal
Carbohydrates: 37g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0.3g
Cholesterol: 18mg
Sodium: 143mg
Potassium: 190mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 24g
Vitamin A: 210IU
Vitamin C: 0.01mg
Calcium: 39mg
Iron: 1mg

This article was originally published on tastesbetterfromscratch.com

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