Classic & Cozy Gingerbread Cookies that Go Beyond the Holidays

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Cozy Cookies

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Comfort Culture

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Cozy Cookies 〰️ Comfort Culture 〰️

When sweet Sally set the tone with her Sugar Cookies, I knew to look no further for a Gingerbread recipe. See my subtle modifications to her original recipe, below.

This is a grown up’s cookie; something about its rich flavor makes you feel like a wise old professor snuggled in a hand-knit cardigan, sipping tea in front of a fire, and reading an intellectually-stimulating, leather-bound book. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 10 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temp (crucial to soften)

• 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

• 2/3 cup unsulphured or dark molasses (blackstrap cuts through the sugar, while other brands up-level the sweetest)

• 1 large egg, at room temp (less crucial than the butter temp)

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, leveled

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

• Royal icing to decorate (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl (with hand mixer or stand mixer), beat the butter and brown sugar together for 2-3 minutes on medium speed. Add the molasses and beat on medium high speed until combined and creamy (another 2-3 minutes). Next, beat in egg and vanilla on high speed for another 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The butter may separate and make it look grainy, that is totally fine. Proceed on!

2. Add in dry ingredients: the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Beat on low speed until combined. The dough will look and feel slightly sticky/tacky - all good.

3. Grab four (4) large pieces of parchment paper. Divide the dough in half and place each half two pieces of parchment. Generously flour the bottom and the top of each dough ball, to help roll it out in between the parchment paper without sticking. Roll out each disc with a rolling pin until 1/4-inch thick. Keep each in between the parchment paper, laying flat, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Chilling is a MUST for this dough.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

5. Remove dough sheets, one at a time from the fridge. Cut into shapes. Place each cookie about 1 inch apart on your lined baking sheets. Combine and re-roll dough scraps, refrigerating in between baking, until all the dough is shaped.

6. Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes. The longer the cookies bake, the harder and crunchier they’ll be. 9-10 minutes produces my ideal "softness" for this cookie.

7. Allow cookies to cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate as you'd like.

8. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.