Gingerbread Cutout Dough (Printable)

Warmly spiced dough for festively shaped gingerbread cookies with perfect hold.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

# Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Incorporate egg, molasses, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture and beat until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or by hand until a soft dough forms.
05 - Split dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cut cookies 1 inch apart on lined baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges firm and centers appear set.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before decorating as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough holds its shape beautifully when cut, no spreading or distortion in the oven—a secret that comes from proper chilling and the perfect balance of spices
  • These cookies stay soft in the center with slightly firm edges, that perfect textural contrast that makes them irresistible to bite into
  • The molasses and warm spices create such a complex, grown-up flavor that tastes far more impressive than the simple ingredient list suggests
  • One batch makes about 40 cookies, so you'll have plenty for decorating, gifting, and sneaking a few for yourself
02 -
  • Chill the dough. I learned this the hard way after my first batch spread into shapeless blobs. Cold dough is your friend—it won't stick, it'll hold its form, and your cookies will be perfectly defined instead of melting together on the sheet.
  • Don't overbake. The moment you see the edges firm up is when you pull them out. They'll look almost underdone, but they keep cooking on the hot pan and finish perfectly. That's the secret to cookies that are crisp outside and tender inside.
  • Use unsulphured molasses if you can find it. Sulfured molasses has a harsher, metallic taste that you'll regret. Your gingerbread should taste like Christmas, not like the basement of an old factory.
03 -
  • Add a pinch of black pepper to the dry ingredients if you want to surprise people with a hint of sophistication—it deepens all the warm spices without announcing itself
  • If your dough seems too sticky when rolling, chill it for another 15 minutes instead of adding more flour, which would throw off your ratios and toughen the cookies

Go Back