Why I love this cut out gingerbread cookies recipe
Gingerbread cookies are a cherished tradition in my kitchen during the holiday season.
There’s something magical about the warm aroma of molasses, brown sugar, and ginger filling the house as they bake.
And this recipe has been a staple of our Christmas celebrations for years, gracing our holiday cookie trays, making appearances at cookie swap parties, and even hanging as decorations on our Christmas tree.
These cookies are soft and chewy with just the right amount of spice. And their rich flavor never fails to bring a smile to everyone who tries them.
But what makes this recipe really special is how easy it is to work with.
Cutting out the shapes is a breeze with our simple tips.
And they always maintain their perfect shape in the oven. No more worries about your gingerbread men or snowflakes losing their definition.
Whether you’re decorating them with royal icing, dusting them with a bit of sugar, or leaving them plain, these cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat.
I can’t wait for you to try them and make them a part of your own holiday traditions!
More delicious Christmas cutout cookies
Ingredients
Here is your shopping list (for 24 to 36 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutters):
- Dairy – 1 cup unsalted butter
- Sweetener – 1¾ cup dark brown sugar
- Flavoring – ¼ cup molasses – This is what gives the cookies their distinctive flavor and helps keep them moist.
- Eggs – 2 large eggs
- Spices – 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- Seasoning – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Baking supplies – 4 cups all purpose flour
Substitutions & Additions
- To use salted butter instead of the unsalted butter, reduce the added salt to ¾ teaspoon.
- Light brown sugar can be used instead of dark brown sugar but the flavor won’t be as rich.
How to make cut out gingerbread cookies
1 | Prep work
You can either mix these cookies with a food processor or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
If you are going to be using a mixer, take the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator to let them come to room temperature. This makes them easier to combine into a light and fluffy mixture with consistent texture.
If you are using a food processor, you do not need to do this step. It actually works better if the butter and eggs are cold.
I prefer the food processor because I never remember to take the ingredients out of the refrigerator in advance.
2 | Cream the butter
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a food processor, cream together 1 cup butter and 1¾ cups of dark brown sugar.
Creaming is a technique where you beat the sugar and butter together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This process incorporates air into the mixture, which is essential for the cookies’ texture.
3 | Mix the cookie dough
Add ¼ cup molasses and 2 eggs.
Mix until everything is well combined.
Next, add 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt along with 1 cup of flour.
Mix until these ingredients are just combined.
Slowly incorporate the remaining flour, adding it ½ cup at a time.
Be careful not to over mix. Over mixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tougher cookies instead of tender ones.4 | Roll out the cookies
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to a thickness of 1/4” to 3/8”.
I like to place the ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper before rolling. This prevents the dough from sticking to your rolling pin and makes it easier to achieve an even thickness.
Once rolled out, refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Chilling the dough helps it firm up, making it much easier to cut out clean shapes and reducing the risk of the cookies spreading too much (and losing their shape) during baking.5 | Cut out the shapes
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This stops the cookies from sticking to the pan and burning, and it also helps to prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
Remove the top layer of parchment paper on the chilled cookie dough.
Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes. (I used gingerbread men and snowflakes).
Use a spatula or cake knife to remove them from the bottom layer of parchment paper.
Then transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
If the dough becomes too soft while cutting or the cookies lose their shape while you are moving them, you can briefly chill it again to firm it up.6 | Bake
Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes.
You’ll know they’re done when the tops no longer look shiny and appear set.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. This allows them to firm up slightly so they won’t break when you transfer them.
Then, move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
7 | Decorate
Once they are fully cooled, you can decorate them as you like.
I used this royal icing recipe to pipe on the gingerbread men, women and snowflake designs.
Then sprinkled some sanding sugar over the snowflakes before the icing had a chance to harden.
Whether you use royal icing, sprinkles, or other decorations, make sure the cookies are completely cool to prevent the decorations from melting or sliding off.
How to make ahead
To make ahead of time, prepare the dough as instructed, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
Store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, freeze the dough by wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight if frozen.
Then roll it out, cut into shapes, and bake as directed.
Storage
Once the gingerbread cookies have cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a 5 days.
Or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let them thaw on the counter when ready to eat.
In either case, separating the layers of cookies with parchment or wax paper will prevent them from sticking to each other.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prevent my gingerbread cookies from spreading too much during baking?
To keep your gingerbread cookies from spreading, ensure your dough is well-chilled before cutting out shapes. Also, avoid overworking the dough and use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat to help maintain their shape.
How can I make my gingerbread cookies softer?
For softer cookies, bake them for a shorter time and ensure they are slightly thicker when rolled out. Adding a bit more brown sugar or using a tablespoon of applesauce can also help keep them soft.
Cut Out Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (if using a mixer)
- 1¾ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 large eggs room temperature (if using a mixer)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all purpose flour
Equipment
- mixer and mixing bowl or food processor
- measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling Pin
- parchment paper
- baking sheets
- Cooling rack
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the dark brown sugar and unsalted butter.1 cup unsalted butter, 1¾ cup dark brown sugar
- Mix in molasses and eggs.¼ cup molasses
, 2 large eggs - Add cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt with 1 cup of flour. Mix until combined.2 teaspoons cinnamon
, 1 teaspoon allspice
, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 cups all purpose flour - Slowly add the rest of the flour ½ cup at a time until all of the flour is mixed. Do not over mix.
- Roll out dough to ¼” to ⅜” thick.
- Place the dough into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut out your desired shapes and place onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops of the cookies no longer look shiny.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Once cookies are completely cool, decorate as desired.
Notes
- Rolling out the cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper prevents it from sticking to your rolling pin.
- Chilling the cookie dough before cutting out the gingerbread men makes them much easier to cut and transfer to the baking sheets. It also prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven so they keep their shape better.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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