Gingerbread Cookies

With all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holiday, who has time to sit down and read right now? Not me.

So I'm keeping it short, sweet, and simple. Just like these Gingerbread cookies.

 

These ginger spice cookies are always a holiday favorite, especially when they're made into little gingerbread man shapes. Or large gingerbread man cookies like this one I made.

You can eat them plain (my favorite way to enjoy them), frost them with royal icing or a simple cookie glaze, or sprinkle powdered sugar over them. They're delicious either way!

And since I know you have so much to do before Christmas, here's my recipe for Gingerbread cookies.

Just do me a favor and enjoy these cookies when you finally get a chance to sit down and relax. You'll thank me when you do.

You're welcome!

Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe by Julie Murphy

Gingerbread cookies are a favorite during the Holidays with their ginger, molasses, and spice flavors.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8-12 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (does not include refrigeration time)
Yield: 6 dozen or 1 large gingerbread man + 5 dozen regular size cookies
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temerature
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons All-purpose flour

Cooking Directions

1. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pepper, and spices together in a large bowl. Using a whisk or fork, stir dry ingredients together. Set aside.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together butter, molasses, brown sugar, and vanilla.
3. Add egg and beat until mixed.
4. Gradually add in dry ingredients until mixture is combined.
5. Divide dough in half, wrapping each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
6. When ready to bake the next morning, remove 1 batch of dough from refrigerator and let sit for 5 minutes so it will be easier to work with.
7. Prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
8. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
9. Unwrap dough and on a dry, flat, floured surface, roll dough out. Keep in mind, the thinner the dough, the crisper the cookie. So if you want a chewy cookie, leave dough a little thicker. It doesn't take much thickness to keep the cookies chewy.
10. Flour under dough, on top of dough, and on rolling pin frequently or dough will stick to surfaces.
11. Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving cookies about 2" apart. Repeat with remaining dough, rolling out and cutting out shapes.
12. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until cookies feel firm or cookies are a very light brown around the tips.
13. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
14. Repeat with remaining dough, rolling out, cutting out shapes, and baking.
15. Let cookies cool completely before decorating. You can decorate with frosting, royal icing, a simple cookie glaze, or powdered sugar sprinkled over the top (as shown in photos).
16. Or you can leave them plain, my favorite way to eat them!
17. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Cutting out my gingerbread man shapes. 

 

Gingerbread man cookies coming out of the oven.

Gingerbread cookies all done!

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

Follow Julie's board Sweet and Spicy Monkey on Pinterest.