Description

This recipe for the easiest gingerbread cookies delivers classic holiday flavors with a simple, straightforward method. The cookies are perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, offering a soft yet firm texture. Ideal for festive gatherings or as a warm homemade gift, these gingerbread cookies are a timeless treat that requires just basic ingredients and less than 25 minutes to prepare and bake.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

⅓ cup soft light brown sugar
⅓ cup molasses
½ cup unsalted butter
1 large egg

Dry Ingredients

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda

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Instructions

Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to warm up while you prepare the dough, ensuring even baking temperature.
Mix wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, molasses, unsalted butter, and egg. Stir or beat together until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves to ensure the spices and leavening agent are evenly distributed.
Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly until the dough forms and the spices are evenly integrated.
Roll and shape dough: On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired festive shapes, such as gingerbread men or stars.
Bake the cookies: Place the cutouts on a lined baking sheet, ensuring they have space to expand slightly. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 12 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch.
Cool before serving: Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely, allowing them to set and maintain their shape.

Notes

Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easier mixing with the sugars and molasses.
Rolling dough evenly to ¼ inch thickness helps cookies bake uniformly.
Use parchment paper or silicone mats on baking sheets for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
For extra decoration, consider icing cookies after they have cooled completely.