Description
Soft, chewy gingerbread cookies with ginger, cinnamon, cloves and molasses. The dough chills ahead, rolls out easily and keeps its shape for cutting and decorating. Makes about 24 cookies, plus 2 hours to chill the dough.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the simple icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar with a mixer for about 2 minutes, until creamy. Beat in the egg, molasses and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing on low just until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft.
- Divide the dough into two flat discs, wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll one disc between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut out shapes with floured cutters and place them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps once.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers are still slightly soft. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (2 tablespoons of milk for piping, more for spreading). Decorate once the cookies are completely cool.
Notes
- Do not taste the raw dough: it contains raw flour and a raw egg (FDA advice).
- Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap.
- Storage: airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Freeze baked, un-iced cookies up to 3 months.
- Dough can be frozen in wrapped discs up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Thicker, softer cookies: roll 3/8 inch thick and bake 1 to 2 minutes longer. Crisp cookies: roll 1/8 inch thick.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie