Classic Cut Out Gingerbread Cookies (Print Version)

Soft spiced gingerbread cookies perfect for cutting into festive shapes and decorating with colorful icing and sprinkles.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 tsp baking soda
03 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
04 - 1 tbsp ground ginger
05 - 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cloves
07 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
13 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ For Decorating

14 - 2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tbsp milk or water
16 - Assorted sprinkles, colored sugars, or edible pearls

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat softened butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined.
04 - Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a thick, uniform dough forms.
05 - Divide dough into two equal portions. Flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of chilled dough to approximately 1/4 inch thickness.
08 - Cut dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges begin to turn golden. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Stir powdered sugar with 2-3 tbsp milk or water until smooth but not runny. Adjust liquid amount for desired consistency.
11 - Decorate fully cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dough holds its shape beautifully so your gingerbread men actually look like gingerbread men instead of blobs
  • These cookies stay soft for days thanks to the molasses but still have that perfect slight crunch at the edges
  • The spice blend is warm without being aggressive, making them genuinely addictive
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional here. Warm dough spreads too much and your intricate shapes will turn into blobs.
  • These cookies continue baking on the hot pan after you pull them out. Remove them when edges look slightly underdone.
  • Rolling thickness matters. One quarter inch gives you sturdy cookies that hold up to decorating but are not rock hard.
03 -
  • Work with one dough disk at a time and keep the other in the refrigerator so it does not get too soft to handle
  • Flour your rolling pin and surface generously but brush off excess flour before cutting to prevent dusty edges
  • If your dough becomes too soft while rolling, pop the whole cutting board in the freezer for ten minutes

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