Nothing says home like a good gingerbread cookie recipe filling the air with the wonderful spices that smell like the holidays.
This recipe makes a firm dough for rolling, but don't be afraid to generously flour your rolling surface and rolling pin. Inexpensive pastry cloths and rolling pin covers work fabulously for cut-out cookies. You can buy the cloth and cover at most discount stores or on Amazon.
Gingerbread Men
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Makes 24 Cookies
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
2. In a large mixer bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
3. Add the molasses and vanilla. Continue to mix until well blended.
4. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until dough is smooth.
5. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic. Let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
7. Place 1 half of the divided dough on a floured surface.
8. Roll dough to a little over 1/4″ thickness. Flour your work surface and rolling pin as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
9. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters.
10. Place cookies 1 1/2″ apart on prepared cookie sheet.
11. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 7-9 minutes, do not overbake. Cookies firm up after cooling.
12. Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to cool until firm enough to move to a wire rack. Decorate your gingerbread men with icing, candies, or colored sugar when fully cooled.
Other Holiday Desserts to Try
After giving this gingerbread cookie recipe a shot, try some of these other desserts:
- Shortbread. Shortbread is another highly popular Christmas dessert. If you're interested in making multiple types of cookies for this holiday season, then give shortbread a try!
- Sugar cookies. Sometimes, good old sugar cookies are the best choice. Sugar cookies are sure to be a hit with pretty much anyone, especially when they've been frosted. Have your kids help you cut them into fun shapes!
- Figgy pudding. You've probably heard this dessert mentioned in a Christmas song, but have you ever tried it? It's a bit of an unusual dessert in that it contains meat or fat, but it's popular for a reason! Give it a try this holiday season.
- Fruit cake. Fruit cake is very hard to get right. Get just one part of it wrong, and the entire cake will taste terrible. If you're up for a challenge this holiday season, why not give fruit cake a go?
- Christmas cupcakes. If you've got a cupcake fan or two in your house, make some festive cupcakes. Use red velvet cake mix for the cupcake, and green frosting on top! Or, flip it around and dye a vanilla cake batter green. Frost with red frosting.
- Peppermint bark. A true Christmas classic. This dessert is fairly easy and straightforward to make, so even inexperienced bakers should do just fine! Just be sure you don't break your teeth on it.
- Fudge. Fudge is popular throughout the year, but fudge at Christmastime is truly something special. Consider making a Christmas-themed red-and-green fudge, or stick with the more traditional chocolate. Whatever you pick, you and your family are sure to love it!