Oh, the smell of gingerbread cookies baking in the oven at Christmas time! If you love it as much as I do you are going to love this recipe for Gingerbread cutout cookies. This recipe for the classic Christmas cookies is perfect for baking gingerbread men to leave out for Santa Christmas Eve. Also great with a cup homemade hot chocolateor perhaps this simple to make peppermint mocha — both topped with whipped cream of course!
My gingerbread cutout cookies are my husband’s favorite cookie, and because of that, I make them as reindeer at Christmas time, hearts at Valentines, and bunnies at Easter time.
Why reindeer? Well the first Christmas we were married I tried making them as gingerbread men, but the gingerbread man cookie cutter I owned had such narrow arms I couldn’t seem to make them without the arms falling off. I had this reindeer cookie cutter and it seemed to stay in one piece so they sort of became a tradition.
Sometimes if I am making them for guests I will stick a red M&M on the nose with a bit of icing, making them Rudolph the red nose reindeer cookies, but my husband doesn’t like them as much that way so I don’t do that often.
The recipe for these cookies is one my family has used since I was little. We never rolled it out though instead, we made it into giant teddy bears with raisin eyes. Very yummy but not practical to feed a man who eats half a dozen of these in one sitting.
This recipe is a molasses based gingerbread recipe which I think gives them a rich flavor. I love using Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Molasses which is unsulphured to give it a bolder flavor, but I can’t always find it in the grocery stores near me so I often use Grandma’s Robust unsulphured instead.
A Few Tips For Making Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies
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- Let the butter, molasses and butter and sugar mixture completely cool before mixing it with the dry ingredients
- Thickly rolled cookies are chewier. Thinly rolled cookies are crisper.
- Always chill the dough at least one hour before rolling it out.
- Only roll out a few cookies worth of dough at one time. Cookie dough rolled out too many times can lead to hard cookies.
- Always use unbleached flour, real butter and real vanilla for best results.
- Rub flour on your rolling pin before you roll out your dough. This will prevent it from sticking.
- Cover your baking cooling rack with wax paper first so that your cookies don’t end up with wire marks on the back of them.
A Few More Christmas Recipes You Are Going To Want To Check Out …
- No-Bake Christmas: 5 Super Simple Recipes That Don’t Require You To Turn On Your Oven
- Peppermint Candy Ice-Cream: No Machine Needed
- Secrets For Baking Fabulous Sugar Cookies
Gingerbread Cutout Cookies: A Classic Christmas Recipe
Snail Pace Transformations
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2/3 cups brown sugar
- 2/3 cup molasses
- 4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
In a saucepan place butter, brown sugar and molasses. Place on stovetop over medium heat. Stir until melted and blended well. (stir frequently this isn't the kind of thing you can leave simmering on the stove it goes fairly fast)
Take off heat and let the mixture cool. This takes at least an hour.
Mix together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Combine dry and wet ingredients and then add in 1 beaten egg and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix well. If it seems dry add an additional egg.
Gather the dough into a big ball and then cover in saran wrap and place in the fridge for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 F
While oven is heating roll out to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place lightly greased cookie sheets.
Place in oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes (depends on how thick you rolled them out. The thicker the cookie the longer it takes to bake)
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FAQs
Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.” Cookbook author and ”Great American Baking Show” winner Vallery Lomas likes a gingerbread cookie that's packed with flavor. “I want to taste a lot of the spices ― especially ginger,” she said.
Why do people eat gingerbread cookies on Christmas? ›
Many also decorated their Christmas trees with gingerbread men or houses, leading to an increase in their popularity. Others however, believe gingerbread was eaten due to the calming influence of ginger – a key ingredient amidst the festive feasting!
Why are my gingerbread cookies flat? ›
If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure. Therefore, as the butter spreads so does the whole liquidy cookie.
How to make a gingerbread man without a cookie cutter? ›
If you don't have a round cookie cutter, you can cut these gingerbread cookies without a cutter using a glass cup or even the top of an empty aluminum soup can!
Can you use maple syrup instead of molasses in gingerbread cookies? ›
Are there any substitutes for molasses? It won't taste exactly the same, but maple syrup can work in a pinch.
What's the difference between gingerbread cookies and ginger cookies? ›
Introduced in colonial times, the main differences between Gingerbread and Ginger Snaps are a longer bake time for an extra crisp and the use of molasses versus sugar. Molasses was used as substitute for sugar as it was the more affordable alternative to sweetening.
What is the dark history of gingerbread? ›
Superstitions about gingerbread flourished in the 17th century. Witches supposedly made gingerbread figures, ate them, and thereby caused the death of their enemies. Dutch magistrates went so far as to declare baking or eating molded cookies illegal.
What country did gingerbread come from? ›
Food historians trace the origins of gingerbread back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it for ceremonial purposes. The ancient Greeks followed suit with the first known recipe for gingerbread around 2400 B.C.
What does the gingerbread symbolize? ›
Long before it became a holiday treat, gingerbread was a royal favorite, a token of fertility, and a tool for witches to exact their vengeance. The pudgy gingerbread man with his candy eyes and icing smile has a sinister backstory—a link to death and the demonic.
What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›
Cornstarch Is The Secret To Soft And Chewy Cookies.
Butter keeps cookies fluffy in two ways. First, creaming cold butter with sugar creates tiny, uniform air pockets that will remain in the dough it bakes up. Second, cold butter naturally takes a longer time to melt in the oven.
Should I use baking powder or baking soda for cookies? ›
Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.
What can you use instead of a gingerbread cookie cutter? ›
Paper and Knife
Trace out your cookie shape (Christmas hats, gingerbread men, snowflakes… anything you want!) onto baking paper, then use a knife to cut the cookie dough around your stencils.
How to prevent gingerbread cookies from spreading? ›
If your cookies spread thin, it's because the fat in the dough starts to melt before the dough begins to bake. There are two fixes: First, add a bit more flour in the mix— maybe ¼ or ½ cup. Second, refrigerate the dough and put it in the oven cold.
How to make cutout cookies without cookie cutters? ›
Use a small, sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut any shape of cookie you like after rolling out the dough. If needed, use an aid to help cut specific shapes: Create a stencil out of cardboard or parchment, wax, or plain paper for simple shapes like hearts, shamrocks, eggs, and flowers.
Should gingerbread be soft or crunchy? ›
Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!
How to make gingerbread harder? ›
The longer you bake the gingerbread, the harder and browner it will get. I like to overbake mine a little.
What makes cookies hard or soft? ›
Butter contributes milk solids and water to a cookie, both of which soften it. Brown sugar contributes molasses – again, a softener. Using lower-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (vegetable shortening), plus a longer, slower bake than normal, produces light, crunchy cookies.
What is the secret to making cookies soft? ›
“Cornstarch is a game changer for cookie baking,” confirms Brian Hart Hoffman, editor in chief of Bake from Scratch. “You can count on [it for] a softer and more tender crumb.”
