Name: Gingerbread Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature; ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar; ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses blackstrap or robust; 1 large egg yolk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; 1 tablespoon milk; Icing or sprinkles for decorating, optional

01

Overview

Prep30 min

Cook8 min

Total38 min

Servings24

DifficultyMedium

02

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butterat room temperature⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar⅓ cup unsulphured molassesblackstrap or robust1 large egg yolk1 teaspoon vanilla extract2¼ cups all-purpose flourspooned and leveled2 teaspoons cinnamon2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon fine sea salt¼ teaspoon ground cloves1 tablespoon milk Icing or sprinklesfor decorating, optional

03

Equipment

Stand mixer or hand mixer
Mixing bowls
Rolling pin
Cookie cutters
Baking sheets and parchment
Wire rack

04

Method

01

Mix the spicy dough

Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Add the dry ingredients gradually, then mix in the milk until a soft dough forms.

02

Chill the sleepy disks

Form the dough into a ball, divide in half, and flatten each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap and chill at least 2 hours (overnight is lovely).

03

Roll and cut shapes

Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thick. Cut shapes, transfer to sheets, and re-roll scraps as needed.

04

Bake until just set

Bake one sheet at a time for 7 to 9 minutes, until edges are just set but centers still look soft. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move to a rack.

05

Decorate the little friends

When completely cool, decorate with icing or sprinkles as you like. Or leave them plain and fragrant — they are already wearing spices.

✦

Tips

NoteChill overnight for the easiest rolling and the clearest shapes.

NoteFor crispier cookies, roll thinner and bake a minute longer.

NoteStore decorated cookies in a tin with parchment between layers.

✦

Nutrition

Calories~110 kcal

Protein1 g

Fat4 g

Carbohydrates17 g

✦

Storage

Room temperatureKeep in an airtight tin up to 1 week.

Freezer (dough)Freeze wrapped disks up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before rolling.

Freezer (baked)Freeze undecorated cookies up to 2 months.

?

Frequently asked

Can I skip chilling?+

Not really — warm dough spreads and loses its shapes.

Why are my cookies hard?+

They baked too long. Next time pull them while the centers still look soft.

Molasses brand?+

Use unsulphured molasses; blackstrap tastes deeper and a little bitter, which some people love.

Gingerbread Cookies

Overview

Ingredients

Equipment