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Favorite Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Favorite Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread cookies have the perfect mix of warming spices and are soft in the center, but crispy on the outside. Use your favorite cookie cutters and decorate with sprinkles or icing. Perfect holiday treats that are as delicious to eat as they are to look at!
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 24
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Sprinkles and raisins or currants if you like for decorating

Equipment

  • Nonstick rolling pin
  • Parchment paper
  • Cookie cutters

Method
 

  1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Put to the side.
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla and mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into two thick flat disks. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight or up to a couple of days. You can also freeze dough and then thaw it out when you are ready to use it.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men and women or desired shapes with a cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. If you are using sprinkles or raisins/currants then decorate before baking (raisins and currants won't stick to baked cookies).
  4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown (See tips on how to avoid overcooking). Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks and cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.