About this recipe

Warmly spiced, perfectly soft-yet-crisp gingerbread cookies that hold their shape beautifully — ideal for cutting into festive shapes, decorating with royal icing, or simply enjoying plain. This time-tested recipe delivers a rich molasses depth with a balanced blend of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The dough is easy to work with and can be made ahead, making it a go-to for holiday baking with kids and adults alike.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and fine salt. Set aside.

2. 2

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar on ^[medium-high speed] until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. 3

   Add the egg, unsulfured molasses, and pure vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on ^[medium speed] until fully combined and smooth, about 1 minute. The mixture may look slightly curdled — that's normal.

4. 4

   With the mixer on ^[low speed], gradually add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until a soft dough forms and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.

5. 5

   Divide the dough in half. Flatten each portion into a disc about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

6. 6

   When ready to bake, preheat your oven to ![350°F]. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper.

7. 7

   On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness. If the dough cracks at the edges, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly, then try again.

8. 8

   Cut out shapes with your desired cookie cutters and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps and cut until all dough is used. Repeat with the second disc.

9. 9

   Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers look barely done — they will firm up as they cool. For softer cookies, pull them at 9 minutes; for crispier cookies, go to 11 minutes.

10. 10

    Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating or storing.

11. 11

    In a bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add the water and pure vanilla extract and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on ^[medium-high speed] for 2–3 minutes, until the icing is thick, smooth, and holds stiff peaks.

12. 12

    To adjust consistency: for outlining, keep it stiff. For flooding (filling in shapes), add water a teaspoon at a time until it flows smoothly but holds its shape. Divide and add gel food coloring if desired.

13. 13

    Decorate the fully cooled cookies using a piping bag, a Ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off, or a small spatula. Allow icing to set completely (1–2 hours at room temperature) before stacking or storing.