Soft Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 egg (large)
• 1 cup molasses (NOT blackstrap)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cup flour (all-purpose)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground allspice
• 0.5 tsp ground cloves
• 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg

Steps

1. 1

   Place the 1 cup light brown sugar and 1 cup softened butter in a large mixing bowl (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment).

2. 2

   Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until combined. Be careful not to overmix.

3. 3

   Add the 1 large egg, 1 cup molasses, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat on medium-low speed until fully combined.

4. 4

   In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the 5 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the gingerbread spices (ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg) until well combined.

5. 5

   Add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined into a soft cookie dough. If the dough is too heavy for your mixer, fold in the flour by hand using a rubber spatula to avoid damaging the motor.

6. 6

   Cover the bowl and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or up to overnight.

7. 7

   When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If the dough was chilled overnight, let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to make rolling easier.

8. 8

   Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half to 1/4-inch thickness.

9. 9

   Cut out cookies using cookie cutters and place them on lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Group similarly sized cookies on the same sheet for even baking.

10. 10

    Bake the cookies: Medium-sized cookies take 8-10 minutes; large gingerbread men take 12-14 minutes; smaller cookies take 6-8 minutes. The cookies should spring back when lightly touched; do not overbake or they will become tough.

11. 11

    Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. Freezing: Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in fridge before using). Baked cookies can be frozen before decorating; layer with wax paper in a container. Decorating: Use a simple icing of 2 cups powdered sugar mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice, water, or half-and-half.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cookies
• Christmas
• holiday
• gingerbread
• baked
• vegetarian