Best 6 The Most Wonderful Gingerbread Cookies Recipes

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The holiday season is all about creating memories with loved ones, and what better way to do that than with a batch of freshly baked gingerbread cookies? These classic treats are a staple of Christmas festivities, but finding the perfect recipe can be a daunting task. From traditional to modern, chewy to crispy, there are endless variations to choose from. In this article, we'll guide you through the most wonderful gingerbread cookie recipes that are sure to make your holiday season extra special. We'll explore the secrets of creating the perfect dough, the best baking techniques, and the most creative ways to decorate your cookies. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, we'll help you find the perfect gingerbread cookie recipe that will bring joy and cheer to your holiday celebrations.

Let's cook with our recipes!

GINGERBREAD COOKIES



Gingerbread Cookies image

Everyone raves about these soft gingerbread cookies! Even people who don't love molasses cookies or gingersnaps ask for this easy gingerbread cookie recipe!

Provided by Christi Johnstone

Categories     Dessert

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 9

¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (if you like a strong cinnamon flavor, increase to 2 tsp total )
½ tsp ginger (if you like a strong ginger flavor, increase to 1-2 tsp total)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • First, mix together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
  • Next, add egg and molasses and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger, stirring to combine.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
  • Form or scoop balls of dough that are slightly smaller than a golf ball. Place them on a baking sheet approximately 2" to 3" apart to allow room for cookies to spread.
  • Finally, bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking for approximately ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 143 kcal, Carbohydrate 20 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 6 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Cholesterol 22 mg, Sodium 158 mg, Sugar 10 g, ServingSize 1 serving

THE BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES



The Best Gingerbread Cookies image

Here's the perfect holiday cookie recipe for cut-outs and decorating. The balanced blend of warm spices and molasses adds just the right amount of seasonal flavor. A combination of butter and shortening creates a dough that rolls out easily and holds it shape during baking.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 3h

Yield 2 to 3 dozen cookies

Number Of Ingredients 15

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook's Note)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening, melted
2/3 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
1 pound confectioners' sugar (3 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons meringue powder
Food coloring, if desired

Steps:

  • For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves in a large bowl.
  • Mix the butter, shortening, brown sugar and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and pat to 1/2-inch thick. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to 1/4-inch thick, dusting with flour if needed. Cut into 3- to 5-inch cookies with a gingerbread man cutter or desired shape. Brush off the excess flour and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
  • Bake the cookies in batches until they are golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
  • For the royal icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat in 6 tablespoons of water until well combined and you have stiff glossy peaks, adding 1 tablespoon more water at a time to reach a smooth pipeable consistency. Mix in food coloring as desired. Fill pastry bags fitted with tips. Decorate the gingerbread cookies with the icing.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES



Gingerbread Cookies image

These traditional cookies came to The Times by way of Jennifer Steinhauer in an article about her grandmother's beloved Christmas cookie recipes. Isabelle Steinhauer would bake between "15 and 20 varieties each season: cream cheese wreaths shot from a cookie press; papery wafers carefully dipped in colored sugar; elaborate cutout cookies of nursery rhyme characters, their eyes fashioned from metallic dragées that the F.D.A. has written off as inedible; all manner of confections with nuts." There's nothing fancy about these gingerbread cookies, but they are tender, gently spiced (feel free to add more to taste) and completely wonderful with a glass of cold milk. If you don't like using shortening, some readers have had good luck using half solid coconut oil and half softened butter instead.

Provided by Jennifer Steinhauer

Categories     brunch, easy, lunch, dessert

Time 1h

Yield 3 dozen cookies

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup light molasses
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, more for rolling dough
Royal icing and cinnamon candies, for decorating, optional.

Steps:

  • In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, molasses and shortening. Place over medium-low heat and stir just until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and mix in baking soda and 1/4 cup cold water. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Add egg, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; stir to mix well. Add 4 cups flour and mix well, adding up to 1/2 cup more if dough seems sticky. Shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into gingerbread boy shapes with a 5-inch-long cookie cutter. Arrange on baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart, and bake until risen and no longer shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow cookies to cool. If desired, decorate with royal icing and cinnamon candies. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 149, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 6 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 132 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 1 gram

SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES



Soft Gingerbread Cookies image

These cookies are warm and delicious on a cold winter's day. Cut them into any shape to fit your holiday celebrations.

Provided by sal

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     Gingerbread Cookie Recipes

Time 3h45m

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 10

¾ cup molasses
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
⅓ cup water
⅛ cup butter, softened
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps:

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the molasses, brown sugar, water and butter until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon, stir them into the wet mixture until all of the dry is absorbed. Cover the dough and chill for at least 3 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out into desired shapes. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 74.7 calories, Carbohydrate 15.8 g, Cholesterol 1.7 mg, Fat 0.8 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 1.2 g, SaturatedFat 0.4 g, Sodium 42.9 mg, Sugar 5.8 g

THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER



The Spiciest Gingerbread Cookies Ever image

This gingerbread cookie is super-spicy from the very first bite. Molasses makes it chewy and white sugar rounds out the spices. Cayenne, allspice and a hefty dose of black pepper result in a complex, lingering heat that is surprising and pleasant.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 5h20m

Yield Eighteen 4-inch gingerbread people

Number Of Ingredients 17

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling (see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder (egg white powder)
Cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots, chocolate chips, raisins or other candies for decorating

Steps:

  • Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
  • Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  • Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
  • Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
  • Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
  • Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
  • Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES RECIPE BY TASTY



Gingerbread Cookies Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: unsalted butter, sugar, large egg, molasses, Pillsbury™ Best™ All-Purpose Flour, ground ginger, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, kosher salt, Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Frosting, sprinkles

Provided by Pillsbury Baking

Categories     Desserts

Yield 24 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar, divided
1 large egg, room temperature
¼ cup molasses
2 ¼ cups Pillsbury™ Best™ All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Frosting, 1 16-ounce tub
sprinkles

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine the butter and 1 cup (200 G) sugar with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and molasses, and beat until smooth.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the Pillsbury™ Best™ All-Purpose Flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.
  • Spread the remaining ½ cup (100 G) sugar in a shallow dish.
  • Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop with a spring release, scoop a slightly heaped portion of dough and roll into a ball about 1½ inches (3.81 cm) in diameter. Roll the dough ball in the sugar to coat (optional), then place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls 2 inches (5 cm) apart. (Bake in batches if needed so the cookies have ample room to spread.)
  • Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  • Once the cookies have cooled, spread 1-2 tablespoons of Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Frosting over each one and decorate with festive sprinkles.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 77 calories, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 0 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 1 gram, Sugar 7 grams

Tips:

  • To achieve the perfect gingerbread cookie, ensure your butter is softened to room temperature. This allows for easy creaming with sugar, resulting in a smooth and homogeneous dough.
  • Chill your dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking. This helps prevent spreading and keeps the cookies from losing their shape.
  • Roll out your dough to an even thickness to ensure uniform baking. Aim for a thickness of about 1/4 inch.
  • Use cookie cutters in various shapes to create festive and visually appealing cookies.
  • Before baking, chill your cut-out cookies for at least 15 minutes. This helps them hold their shape better in the oven.
  • Bake your cookies until the edges are just beginning to brown. Overbaking can result in dry and crumbly cookies.
  • Allow your cookies to cool completely before decorating them. This helps prevent the icing from melting and running.
  • Use a variety of frostings and decorations to personalize your gingerbread cookies and make them extra special.

Conclusion:

Gingerbread cookies are a timeless holiday tradition that brings joy to people of all ages. With careful attention to detail and a sprinkle of creativity, you can create delicious and visually stunning gingerbread cookies that will be the star of any holiday gathering. From the initial mixing of ingredients to the final decorative touches, the process of making gingerbread cookies is a delightful experience that encapsulates the magic of the holiday season. So gather your loved ones, put on some festive music, and embark on a gingerbread cookie-making adventure that will create lasting memories and sweet treats to be cherished for years to come.

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