Classic Gingerbread Cookies

Illustrative stock photos, not this exact recipe. Photo credits are at the bottom of the page.

Gingerbread cookies are a holiday tradition: warm with ginger, cinnamon and cloves, and sweetened with dark molasses. The dough rolls out easily once chilled and holds its shape when baked.

Bake a minute less for soft cookies, or a minute more for crisp ones that are perfect for hanging.

Recipe label: Based on traditional technique. Photo: illustrative stock photo, not the finished dish from this exact recipe.

Photo credits: Photo 1: Miguel González on Pexels; Photo 2: Letícia Alvares on Pexels; Photo 3: Thuanny Gantuss on Pexels. Free stock photos, used under the Unsplash or Pexels license and shown here as illustrations only.

Print Recipe

Classic Gingerbread Cookies

Author: KP Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: British Courses: Dessert, Snacks Recipe Keys: F Family Favorites H Holiday Vegetarian Meals

Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 10 mins Rest Time 120 mins Total Time 2 hrs 40 mins

Servings: 24

Description

Classic gingerbread cookies with ginger, cinnamon, cloves and molasses. Easy to roll and cut, perfect for decorating at Christmas.

Ingredients

Servings

• 375 g all-purpose flour (3 cups)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• 115 g butter (½ cup, softened)
• 100 g brown sugar (½ cup, packed)
• 1 egg
• 170 g molasses (½ cup)
• icing and sweets (to decorate)

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a bowl.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses. Stir in the dry ingredients to make a soft dough.
3. Divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap and chill at least 2 hours.
4. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Roll the dough to 6 mm (¼ in) on a floured surface and cut out shapes.
5. Bake on lined trays 8-10 minutes until the edges are set. Cool on the tray 5 minutes, then on a rack, and decorate when completely cool.

Note

Chill the dough well or it will be sticky and shapes will spread. Re-roll scraps once. Keeps 1 week in an airtight tin; undecorated cookies freeze for 3 months.