Classic Cut Out Gingerbread Cookies (Printable)

Soft spiced gingerbread ideal for cutting into festive shapes and decorating with colorful icing and sprinkles.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 tsp baking soda
03 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
04 - 1 tbsp ground ginger
05 - 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 tsp ground cloves
07 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
13 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ For Decorating

14 - 2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2–3 tbsp milk or water
16 - Assorted sprinkles, colored sugars, or edible pearls

# Steps:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Mix in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture on low speed until thick dough forms.
05 - Divide dough into two equal portions, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
06 - Heat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On lightly floured surface, roll one portion of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
08 - Cut shapes with cookie cutters and arrange 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake 8–10 minutes until edges begin turning golden. Cool 2 minutes on pan, then transfer to wire rack.
10 - Stir powdered sugar with 2–3 tbsp milk or water until smooth but not runny. Adjust consistency with additional liquid if needed.
11 - Once cookies are completely cooled, decorate with icing and sprinkles. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The spices hit you like a warm embrace from someone who has been waiting for you to come home
  • These cookies somehow manage to stay soft in the middle while holding their shape through even the most aggressive cookie cutter sessions
02 -
  • The dough absolutely must chill long enough or your carefully cut shapes will turn into blob monsters in the oven
  • Rolling between two sheets of parchment paper instead of on a floured counter will keep the cookies tender and prevent them from getting tough from too much extra flour
03 -
  • Rotate your baking sheets halfway through baking time because ovens have hot spots that will cook some cookies faster than others
  • If your dough becomes too soft to work with, pop the entire baking sheet in the freezer for five minutes before baking

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