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Gingerbread Cookies

Classic gingerbread cookies made with dark brown sugar, unsulphured molasses, and a four-spice blend. Rolled to 5mm for a soft centre, or 3mm for a crispier cookie perfect for decorating with royal icing. The dough keeps refrigerated for 5 days and frozen for 3 months — ideal for holiday advance baking.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
8 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 28 minutes
Servings: 1
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 130
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 340 g / 3 cups all-purpose flour plus extra if needed
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 115 g / ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 150 g / ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 80 ml / ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses not blackstrap
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

  1. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until the spices are evenly distributed. Set aside.
  2. Beat softened butter and packed dark brown sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth and slightly fluffy.
  3. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 30 to 40 seconds until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled — this is normal.
  4. Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and looks uniform — no dry streaks, no wet patches.
  5. Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap each tightly in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight preferred).
  6. Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F (160°C fan). Line baking sheets with parchment.
  7. Working with one disc at a time (keep the other refrigerated), roll between two sheets of parchment to 5mm / ¼ inch for soft cookies or 3mm / ⅛ inch for crispier ones. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and transfer to the lined baking sheets using a thin spatula.
  8. Bake one sheet at a time on the centre rack. For soft cookies: 8 to 9 minutes, edges set, centres slightly underdone. For crispier cookies: 10 to 11 minutes, surface dry to the centre.
  9. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely — at least 30 minutes — before decorating.

Notes

  • Molasses: Use unsulphured molasses — not blackstrap (too bitter) and not light molasses (too mild). Dark treacle is the best 1:1 substitute.
  • Chill time: 2 hours minimum — overnight is better. This is the single most important step for shape retention.
  • Rolling: Always roll between two sheets of parchment — never on a floured surface. Extra flour toughens the dough.
  • Shape loss? Dough too warm — return to the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before continuing.
  • Too hard? Overbaked or rolled too thin. Store with a slice of white bread to soften overnight.
  • Spice substitution: Use 1½ tsp of commercial pumpkin pie spice in place of the four individual spices as a shortcut.