Gingerbread Cookies – The perfect classic cookie that makes the best cut-out shapes. They are perfect for decorating and always turn out delicious every single time.
During the holidays every year, we make a huge batch of gingerbread cookies. We always have friends over and put together a cookie decorating party. A friend brings sugar cookies, and we always offer up the gingerbread cookies.
This recipe has the best fall spices in it, especially lots of ginger and lots of cinnamon. We bake these up pretty crispy, but you can bake them softer if you like.
Then, we top them with an amazing royal icing recipe that is THE best I have found.
How to Make The Best Gingerbread Cookies
To make this gingerbread cookie recipe, you will need:
- Flour: all-purpose flour
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg
- Baking soda, salt, egg and vanilla extract: It's the holy trinity for cookies
- Molasses: regular molasses
- Brown sugar
- Butter: Make sure it is room temperature
- Orange Zest: Goes well with the cinnamon
If you want to really make your cookies pop, grab some royal icing and your favorite sprinkles.
Start by whisking the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Set them aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, blend the butter and the sugar. Add in the egg, molasses, and vanilla. Then beat on medium speed. Add in your dry ingredients a little at a time.
Add in the orange zest here.
Divide the dough into two equal portions and form into a ball. Flatten each disk into a 1″ thick disk. Now, wrap each disk with plastic wrap and chill for an hour.
Roll the dough out using two pieces of wax paper. This is the best practice because you won't have to add more flour to the cookies. This makes them dense.
Put the dough between the two pieces of wax paper and roll it out until the cookies are 1/4″ thick. Now, use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are crisp around the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes.
Move the cookies to a wire rack so that you can decorate them with royal icing.
How to Make the Best Royal Icing
The royal icing is my favorite part of this recipe. I found it on TikTok and it has quickly become my favorite for cookie decorating.
For the icing, you will need
- 2 pound bag of sugar
- 1/3 cup of meringue powder
- 1/2 cup of warm water (plus more just in case it's too thick)
- 2 tablespoons of corn syrup
- white food coloring
Mix the meringue powder and the powdered sugar together until mixed well. Now, add the water and continue mixing. The consistency will look like toothpaste, but a little runnier.
Now, add in the corn syrup and a few squeezes of the white food coloring.
Mix on 4 on your mixer for 5 minutes. Now, you can ice your cookies.
The rest can be saved in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks.
Check Out These Other Delicious Cookie Recipes
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Gingerbread Cookies
Classic cut-out gingerbread cookies. Easy to make and perfect for cookie decorating parties.
Ingredients
For the cookie
- 3 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teasoon of salt
- 3/4 cup of butter, softened
- 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup of regular molasses
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- zest of an orange
Royal Icing recipe
- 2 pound bag of powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup of meringue powder
- 1/2 cup (plus extra) of warm water
- 2 tablespoons of corn syrup
- white food coloring
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, salt, and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside.
- Crea together the butter and sugar in your stand mixture. Mix on high for about 3-4 minutes. It should be light and fluffy.
- Now, add in the egg, vanilla, and molasses. Beat on medium speed until it is combined.
- Start adding the flour mixture, a little bit at a time until everything is just combined.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll into a ball and then flatten each ball into a circle. Wrap it with plastic wrap and store the circles in the fridge for an hour.
- After an hour, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take two pieces of wax paper and set them aside. Take a disc and unwrap it. Place the disc between the two pieces of wax paper and roll out. This keeps from having to add more flour to the recipe.
- Roll the dough out to 1/4" and use your favorite cookie cutters to cut them out. Place them on the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until the edges are crisp. Once they are done baking, allow them to rest for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
- Once the cookies have cooled you can decorate them. I like to use royal icing and sprinkles.
- Whisk together the royal icing ingredients together in a mixing bowl until smooth. If your icing is not the consistency of toothpaste, add just a little more water.
- Fill a piping bag or a zip lock bag, to pipe the icing on the cookies. Be sure to snip just a bit off the end of the bag.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 151Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 86mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g
Jennifer
Tuesday 7th of December 2021
Such a perfect cookie for the holidays! I can't seem to make a house and these cookies saved the day!
Christie
Wednesday 24th of November 2021
I love ALL the gingerbread cookies! These look so delicious and pretty.
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
Monday 15th of November 2021
You just can't go wrong with this classic! So fragrant...not to mention fun to decorate!
Lisa Kerhin
Thursday 11th of November 2021
I have yet to perfect royal icing but making these cookies I will give it another go!
Inger@Art of Natural Living
Tuesday 9th of November 2021
This is one of my favorite cookies and your decorating is soooo cute!