Classic Gingerbread Cookies
The enticing aroma of freshly baked gingerbread cookies permeates the kitchen, evoking warm memories of childhood and holiday cheer. Indulge in these classic treats anytime for their soft, chewy texture and comforting spicy flavor.
The enticing aroma of freshly baked gingerbread cookies permeates the kitchen, evoking warm memories of childhood and holiday cheer. Indulge in these classic treats anytime for their soft, chewy texture and comforting spicy flavor.
- Carbohydrate 70.4952475007645 g
- Cholesterol 87.44375 mg
- Fat 24.0955550000643 g
- Fiber 1.88032499982505 g
- Protein 5.40400250009849 g
- Saturated Fat 14.850725000021 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Dozen (123g)
- Sodium 257.530390625346 mg
- Sugar 68.6149225009394 g
- Trans Fat 1.86743550001836 g
- Calories 513 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg.
- In a smaill bowl, stir together the hot water, baking soda, and molasses until the baking soda is dissolved. At low speed, gradually add this mixture to the butter mixture. Increase the speed to medium and mix until blended. At low speed, add the dry ingredients in several additions, mixing just until combined. Scrape the dough onto a work surface and shape it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerat until firm, at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days.)
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two baking sheets.
- Divide the chilled dough into quarters. Rewrap and refrigerate three of the quarters. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/8 inch, lightly flouring the dough and work surface as needed. Using 2.75-inch cookie cutters, cut out as many cookies as possible from the dough. Carefully transfer the cookies to one of the prepared baking shets and sprinkle them with coarse sugar, if desired. Gather the scraps of dough together into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 30 minutes.
- Bake the cookies until the tops are set, 8 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking shet on a wire rack for 2 minutes, then transfer to the wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking procedure with the remaining dough. Reroll the scraps from each portion one time only to make more cookies.
Ginger snaps rely on rapid moisture loss for a brittle crack, whereas classic rolled gingerbread depends on precise temperature control to achieve a sturdy yet tender structure. Maintaining cold butter fat throughout the process dictates whether the dough holds clean edges or spreads flat on the baking sheet.
- Dissolve the baking soda in hot water with the molasses before combining, as this chemical reaction neutralizes acids and evenly distributes leavening without overworking the flour gluten.
- Chill the dough in quarters for at least two hours at standard refrigeration temperature, keeping unused portions cold while you work with a single disk.
- Roll the chilled disk to exactly 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface, preventing uneven baking times across smaller and larger cutout shapes.
- Pull the cookies from the 350°F oven after precisely eight minutes when the edges look set but the centers remain dull rather than shiny.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month, as the low moisture content prevents staling while letting spices mature.
Pair these spicy cutouts with unsweetened black tea or cold whole milk to cut through the heavy molasses and sharp ginger notes. Cold fat management remains the absolute determinant between crisp defined shapes and melted dough sheets.
