Classic Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

This classic gingerbread cookie recipe makes soft, perfectly spiced cookies with crisp edges every time.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 50

Chilling time 1

Total Time 2 35

Servings cookies

Calories 134kcal

Equipment

mixing bowl
whisk
hand mixer
Piping bag

Ingredients

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter softened
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
½ cup unsulphured molasses
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Decorating Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
1½ tablespoons meringue powder
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons warm water plus more if needed
Red and green mini M&Ms

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, add 3½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk for about 30 seconds, until the spices and baking soda are evenly distributed. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add ½ cup softened unsalted butter, ¾ cup packed light brown sugar, and ⅓ cup granulated sugar. Beat with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Avoid beating until overly light and fluffy because too much incorporated air can cause the cookies to spread.
Add 1 large egg and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Add ½ cup unsulphured molasses and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, then mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each addition. Stop mixing as soon as a firm, evenly combined dough forms and no dry streaks of flour remain.
Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each portion into a disc about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the dough is cool and firm but not completely hard.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a few large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one dough disc from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes if it feels too firm to roll.
Lightly dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with some all-purpose flour. Roll the dough to a ¼-inch thickness.
Cut the dough with a 4-inch cookie cutter and transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Gather and reroll the scraps once, then repeat with the remaining dough disc. Refrigerate the cut cookies for 10 minutes before baking.
Bake one sheet at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges feel firm and the centers look dry and matte. The centers should resist a light touch and should not look shiny or underbaked. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will become firmer as they cool.
Add 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 1⁄2 tablespoons meringue powder to a clean large mixing bowl. Mix briefly on low speed. Add ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of warm water, then beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the icing is thick, smooth, and glossy. Add more warm water, ½ teaspoon at a time, only as needed to create an icing that is easy to pipe but still holds its shape.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag and decorate the completely cooled cookies. Gently press red and green mini M&M’s into the wet icing as desired. Let the decorated cookies sit uncovered for at least 1 hour, until the icing feels firm, then serve and ENJOY!

Notes

The combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar gives these cookies a noticeable sweetness while keeping the warm molasses and spice flavors balanced.
Use regular or dark unsulphured molasses for the best classic gingerbread flavor, and avoid blackstrap molasses because it can make the cookies taste bitter.
Rolling the dough to an even ¼-inch thickness creates cookies with lightly crisp edges and pleasantly tender centers. Thinner cookies will bake more quickly and have a crisper texture.
Chilling the dough before rolling and again after cutting is important because it helps prevent spreading and keeps the edges of the cookies defined.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition