Classic Cut-Out Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

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Whether you're hosting a cookie decorating party, attending a cookie exchange, or just baking with your kids, this classic cut-out gingerbread cookie recipe from recipe developer Miriam Hahn is for you. The nostalgic flavor of warm and sweet molasses paired with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves provides that signature holiday feeling, all wrapped up into one adorable cookie. These tasty treats are soft on the inside with crisp edges, making each bite rich, cozy, and full of holiday warmth. Unlike other cut-out types of cookie dough, this gingerbread dough is sturdier, making it easier to cut and transfer the cookies to the baking sheet. Also, they hold their shape better in the oven with less spreading.

"I like this recipe because you don't need a stand mixer or any decorating accessories," Hahn says. "Simple mixing bowls, a hand mixer, and a plastic baggie is all you need to make these elegant, decorated cookies." You can create classic gingerbread men, trees, ornaments, or any variety of festive shapes, and nothing beats the gingerbread aroma that fills the kitchen while you're working.

To make this recipe, you'll need quite a few things from the baking aisle or your kitchen pantry. Look for all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and powdered sugar. From the dairy aisle, you'll need unsalted butter, an egg, and milk. Any type of milk can be used in this recipe. If you don't have molasses on hand, pick up some, or use one of these molasses substitutes.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Add the butter and brown sugar to a large bowl and beat for 3 minutes with a hand mixer.

Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat again to combine.

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix with a wooden spoon, then use your hands to form the dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it in half.

Flatten each dough half into round discs. Cover these discs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Flour a large surface and roll out half of the dough until it's about ¼-inch thick.

Using cooking cutters, cut the dough into desired shapes. Place shapes onto the prepared sheet pan and repeat this process with the other half of dough.

Place one sheet at a time into the oven on the middle rack and bake for 8 minutes. Once the first batch of cookies is done, repeat with the second sheet.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

In a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.

Transfer the icing to a piping bag and cut a small hole at the tip.

Decorate the cooled cookies as desired. Let the icing set and harden before storing or serving the cookies.

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This cookie recipe is easy to make, but there are some tips to keep in mind to ensure the dough and cookies come out perfectly. When making the gingerbread dough, you want the butter softened slightly, but not so soft it is losing its shape. If it is too soft, the dough will be loose and sticky, and the cookies will spread more during baking. A hand mixer is fine here, but if you choose to use a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed when mixing the butter and brown sugar, and switch the speed to low when adding the remaining wet ingredients. You'll also want to use the low speed when incorporating the dry ingredients.

Before chilling, you'll be making a round disc with each half of dough. Make this fairly large so that more surface area hardens. This will make the rolling out process quicker. While you are working on the first batch, keep the second batch in the fridge so it doesn't soften too much. The chill time is important, so make sure you are chilling for the full 2 hours or more. You can make the dough up to 2 days in advance.

It's a nice idea to have different sizes and shapes of cookie cutters. If you have small shapes, like tiny stars, they can be used with the dough left behind from cutting the larger shapes. You still may need to re-roll some dough, but this will save you some time while also making the assortment look pretty.

Gingerbread cookies are fun and festive to decorate, and whether you want them simple or elaborate, there is no wrong way to decorate them. The icing will serve as a base for decorating and will act as your "glue" if you choose to add other embellishments. If you want precise lines and details, then making a thin icing and using a piping bag gives you a lot of control. To get a more decorative line when decorating, you can experiment with different frosting tips. For a simpler method, you can simply spread the frosting on the cookies in an even layer for an all-over look. If you want to have fun with different colors, separate the frosting batch into a few containers and add food coloring for a variety of colors. If you're looking for a unique decorating idea that resembles food art, try your hand at a marble icing technique. Making the frosting ahead of time is handy, especially if you will be hosting a decorating party, and it will keep from drying out if kept sealed in the fridge.

Once you have decorated the cookies with icing, you can use any type of candy to decorate. Try using red hot candies, tiny gumdrops, or chocolate chips for buttons on a gingerbread man, or use a random pattern on other shapes like stars and ornaments. For a shimmer effect, sprinkle on edible glitter. Other cookie toppings like nonpareils, gold sugar pearls, or sprinkles can all be used for beautiful decorating.

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