The true test of a holiday baker isn’t the complexity of their desserts, but the perfection of their gingerbread cookie. This recipe delivers the holy grail: a dough that rolls out like a dream without sticking, bakes into cookies that are tender yet sturdy enough to handle elaborate royal icing, and fills your kitchen with the quintessential scent of molasses and spice.
Forget brittle, flavorless ornaments—these cookies are deeply flavored with a blend of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, offering a soft bite that makes them as delightful to eat as they are to decorate. Whether you’re making a classic gingerbread family, intricate snowflakes, or edible holiday gifts, this dough is your reliable, delicious foundation for all festive creativity.
The Science of a Dough That Holds Its Shape
The secret to gingerbread that keeps sharp edges lies in the careful balance of moisture and leavening. Using molasses as the primary liquid sweetener is key; its thick, viscous nature adds moisture without making the dough overly wet, and its acidity reacts with the baking soda for a slight rise. However, too much leavening would cause the cookies to puff and spread, blurring their shapes.
This recipe uses a conservative amount of baking soda—just enough to neutralize the molasses’ acidity and tenderize the cookie, but not so much that it creates excessive spread. The chilling step is non-negotiable. It solidifies the butter, ensuring the cookies don’t melt and slump in the oven’s initial heat. More importantly, it allows the flour to fully hydrate with the molasses and spices, resulting in a dough that is less elastic and more plastic, meaning it will hold the impression of your cutter without springing back.
The final bake at a moderate temperature sets the structure before the butter fully melts, locking in those crisp, clean outlines.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (1.5 sticks / 170g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Decorating (Optional):
- Royal icing or simple powdered sugar glaze
- Food coloring, sprinkles, and edible pearls
Instructions
1. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Cream Butter & Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg until fully incorporated, then beat in the molasses and vanilla. The mixture may look slightly curdled—this is normal.
4. Combine Dry & Wet: With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined and no dry streaks remain. The dough will be soft and sticky.
5. Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half. Place each half between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to about ¼-inch thickness. Stack the rolled sheets (paper and all) on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
6. Cut & Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one sheet of chilled dough. Peel off the top parchment, cut shapes with floured cutters, and place them 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Re-roll scraps between the parchment sheets and re-chill briefly before cutting again.
7. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes for softer cookies, or 10-12 minutes for crispier edges. The cookies will look slightly puffed but will settle as they cool. They are done when the centers appear set.
8. Cool & Decorate: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with icing.
Pro-Tips for Gingerbread Mastery
- Molasses Matters: Use “light” or “original” molasses, not blackstrap, which is too bitter and intense.
- The Long Chill is Mandatory: This is the most important step for preventing spread. The dough must be firm and cold. Rolling it between parchment before chilling saves time and mess later.
- Roll Evenly: Use rolling pin rings or two wooden dowels as guides to ensure uniform thickness for even baking.
- Don’t Over-Bake: For soft cookies, pull them out when they just lose their raw sheen in the center. They firm up as they cool.
- Cool Completely Before Icing: Any residual warmth will melt your royal icing.
- Dough Too Sticky? If it’s unmanageable after chilling, knead in a tablespoon of flour at a time until rollable.
- Storage: Undecorated cookies stay soft in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week. The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
This recipe yields cookies that are not just decorations, but a delicious, spiced centerpiece of your holiday baking.
