Gingerbread Cookies

A Christmas classic every single year! 🎄 These Gingerbread Cookies are warm and spiced with ginger, cinnamon and cloves, sweetened with brown sugar and molasses, and cut into gingerbread men.

You whisk the dry ingredients, beat the butter and sugar with the egg, molasses and vanilla, then stir it all together and chill the dough for an hour. Roll it out, cut out your gingerbread men, and bake.

Then comes the fun part: decorating with royal icing and sprinkles. Grab the kids!

Why You’ll Love It

• A true classic. The cookie everybody expects at Christmas.
• Warm spices. Ginger, cinnamon and cloves make the house smell amazing.
• Great for decorating. A fun family activity with royal icing and sprinkles.
• Easy to roll. An hour in the fridge makes the dough easy to handle.
• Quick bake. Just 8 to 10 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Flour and baking soda: The base of the dough.
• Ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves: The gingerbread spices.
• Butter and brown sugar: Beaten together until creamy.
• Molasses: Gives gingerbread its deep flavor and color.
• Royal icing and sprinkles: For decorating.

You’ll find the exact amounts and steps in the printable recipe card below.

How to Make It

Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt together. In another bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar, then beat in the egg, molasses and vanilla. Stir in the dry mix and chill the dough for 1 hour. Roll it out 1/4-inch thick, cut out your gingerbread men, and set them on parchment-lined sheets. Bake, let them cool, and then decorate with icing.

Tips for the Best Gingerbread Cookies

• Chill the dough. An hour in the fridge makes it much easier to roll.
• Roll it evenly. Roll it 1/4-inch thick so the cookies bake evenly.
• Line your pans. Bake on parchment-lined sheets.
• Don’t overbake. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
• Cool before decorating. Let them cool all the way so the icing doesn’t melt.

Do you decorate gingerbread every year? Show me your gingerbread crew! 🎄