Best soft gingerbread cookies: 1 amazing secret
Make the ultimate soft and chewy cut-out gingerbread cookies. This recipe focuses on achieving a thick, tender cookie with classic, warm spice flavor, perfect for holiday decorating.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes (includes mandatory chilling time)
- Yield: About 3 dozen cookies
- Category: Dessert/Cookie
- Method: Baking/Cut-Out
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: 3 cups
- Baking soda: 1 teaspoon
- Ground ginger: 2 teaspoons
- Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
- Ground cloves: 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Unsalted butter, softened: 1/2 cup (1 stick)
- Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup
- Molasses (unsulfured): 1/2 cup
- Egg: 1 large
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the molasses and egg until just combined. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Chilling is key for soft, non-spreading cookies.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disk to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
- Place the cut-outs onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. For soft cookies, do not overbake; the edges should just be set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough adequately prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- For the softest texture, remove the cookies from the oven just as they begin to look set.
- If you plan to decorate with royal icing, allow the cookies to cool completely before icing.
- This dough freezes well before rolling and cutting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: Approx. 140
- Sugar: Approx. 12g
- Sodium: Approx. 90mg
- Fat: Approx. 6g
- Saturated Fat: Approx. 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: N/A
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: Approx. 20g
- Fiber: Approx. 0.5g
- Protein: Approx. 2g
- Cholesterol: Approx. 25mg
Find it online: https://whiskdaily.com/soft-gingerbread-cookies-best-recipe/