The Best Gingerbread Cookies Food

THE BEST SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves, whisking to completely combine.
• In a large bowl using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and the brown sugar for 3 minutes on medium high speed. Add the molasses and beat on medium high speed until combined and creamy-looking.
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Next, beat in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined.
• Divide the cookie dough in half and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap each dough up tightly and pat down to create a flat disc shape.
• Chill the discs for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Chilling is mandatory for gingerbread cookie dough.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (We recommend these for cookies and never bake without them.)
• Remove 1 disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator.
• Generously sprinkle a work surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin with powdered sugar, not flour.
• Roll out disc until 1/4-1/2"-inch thick. Cut into shapes. Place shapes 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll dough scraps until all the dough is shaped. Repeat with remaining disc of dough.
• Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes.
• Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate with royal icing!

SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the molasses, brown sugar, water and butter until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon, stir them into the wet mixture until all of the dry is absorbed. Cover the dough and chill for at least 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out into desired shapes. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, molasses and shortening. Place over medium-low heat and stir just until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and mix in baking soda and 1/4 cup cold water. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Add egg, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; stir to mix well. Add 4 cups flour and mix well, adding up to 1/2 cup more if dough seems sticky. Shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into gingerbread boy shapes with a 5-inch-long cookie cutter. Arrange on baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart, and bake until risen and no longer shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow cookies to cool. If desired, decorate with royal icing and cinnamon candies. Store in an airtight container.

THE MOST WONDERFUL GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
• In a large bowl (KitchenAid's great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
• Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
• Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 deg. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 375°.
• Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
• Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
• Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• Cut out cookies with desired cutter-- the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.
• Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies-- very good!).
• Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
• After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.
• I usually brush them with a powdered sugar glaze when I am in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with Royal icing.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES 101

Steps:

• Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter and vegetable shortening until well-combined, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)
• To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time, keeping the other disk refrigerated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just warm enough to roll out without cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough has been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it may need a few more minutes.) Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick, being sure that the dough isn't sticking to the work surface (run a long meal spatula or knife under the dough occasionally just to be sure, and dust the surface with more flour, if needed). For softer cookies, roll out slightly thicker. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and transfer to nonstick cookie sheets, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. Gently knead the scraps together and form into another disk. Wrap and chill for 5 minutes before rolling out again to cut out more cookies.
• Bake, switching the positions of the cookies from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are set and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire cake racks to cool completely. Decorate with Royal Icing. (The cookies can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in airtight containers at room temperature.)
• Make ahead: The icing can prepared up to 2 days ahead, stored in an airtight container with a moist paper towel pressed directly on the icing surface, and refrigerated.
• This icing hardens into shiny white lines, and is used for piping decorations on gingerbread people or other cookies. Traditional royal icing uses raw egg whites, but I prefer dried egg-white powder, available at most supermarkets, to avoid any concern about uncooked egg whites.
• When using a pastry bag, practice your decorating skills before you ice the cookies. Just do a few trial runs to get the feel of the icing and the bag, piping the icing onto aluminum foil or wax paper. If you work quickly, you can use a metal spatula to scrape the test icing back into the batch.
• Dried egg-white powder is also available by mail order from The Baker's Catalogue, 1-800-827-6836. Meringue powder, which is dehydrated egg whites with sugar already added, also makes excellent royal icing; just follow the directions on the package. However, the plain unsweetened dried egg whites are more versatile, as they can be used in savory dishes, too. Meringue powder is available from Adventures in Cooking (1-800-305-1114) and The Baker's Catalogue.
• In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at low speed, beat the confectioners' sugar, egg-white powder and water until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until very stiff, shiny and thick enough to pipe; 3 to 5 minutes. (The icing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, stored in an airtight container with a moist paper towel pressed directly on the icing surface, and refrigerated.)
• To pipe line decorations, use a pastry bag fitted with a tube with a small writing tip about 1/8-inch wide, such as Ateco No. 7; it may be too difficult to squeeze the icing out of smaller tips. If necessary, thin the icing with a little warm water. To fill the pastry bag, fit it with the tube. Fold the top of the bag back to form a cuff and hold it in one hand. (Or, place the bag in a tall glass and fold the top back to form a cuff.) Using a rubber spatula, scoop the icing into the bag. Unfold the cuff and twist the top of the bag closed. Squeeze the icing down to fill the tube. Always practice first on a sheet of wax paper or aluminum foil to check the flow and consistency of the icing.
• Traditional Royal Icing: Substitute 3 large egg whites for the powder and water.

BEST-EVER CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and molasses. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat. In small bowl, place granulated sugar. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. On cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until set and soft in center. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Store tightly covered up to 1 week.

THE WORLD'S GREATEST GINGERBREAD COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and molasses into an electric mixer. Sift the flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt together, then add to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Add in the water. Form into a ball of dough with your hands and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 3 hours or overnight. Let the chilled dough sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes before rolling it out. Roll it out on a floured surface, and make cookie shapes. Put the shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk together the icing ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Scoop your icing into a small sandwich bag, then seal the bag. Cut a very small hole in the corner and use it to ice the edges of your cookies.

BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
• 3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until light in color and fluffy. You should be able to see the change in color happen and know it's ready.
• . Add the egg and vanilla extract mix until well combined.
• . Add the molasses and mix until well combined.
• . Add the dry ingredients and mix just until the dough is well combined. Dough will be thick.
• . Divide the cookie dough into two equal parts, then roll each out to about 1/4 an inch thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. It helps to shape the cookie dough into a bit of a log and then roll it out.
• . Transfer the parchment lined cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and into the freezer for about 6-8 minutes.
• . Remove cookie dough from freezer and immediately cut into shapes. You'll leave the cutouts on the parchment paper to bake them, so try to space them as they should be for baking with about an inch between each cookie.
• 0. While cookie dough is still cold, transfer the parchment paper/cookies onto a cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes.
• 1. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, or until you can transfer them. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• 2. Repeat process with remaining cookie dough.
• 3. When cookies are baked and you're ready to decorate them, making the icing. Add the powdered sugar to a small-medium sized bowl, then add 1 tablespoon of water, the corn syrup and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined. It will be thick to start, just keep whisking together. Add additional water as needed, for it to come together. You want to be careful not to thin it out too much. You can always add more liquid, but you can't remove it once you add it. You want the icing to just be drip-able (and therefore pipeable), but not so thin it won't stay in place.
• 4. Add the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip (I used Wilton tip 3) and decorate your cookies. Add sprinkles or other decorations, if you'd like.
• 5. Allow cookies to dry, then store in an airtight container. If well sealed, cookies should be good for 5-7 days.

GINGERBREAD COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients - flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
• Add egg, orange juice and molasses, stirring carefully until well combined.
• Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, thick dough will form.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoon into sugar. Roll to cover, then place on cookie sheet. Set cookies about 2-inches apart.
• Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will spread out and flatten a bit. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before removing to wire rack.

THE BEST GINGERBREAD MAN COOKIES RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, and salt.
• Then in a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes.
• Add one egg at a time mixing well after each addition.
• Thoroughly mix in the molasses.
• Stir in about a third of the dry ingredients at a time mixing well after each addition.
• Cover the bowl with saran wrap or foil and refrigerate for 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Flour a large cutting board, and (working with 1/4 of the dough at a time) roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface.
• Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter.
• Place 1 inch apart on un-greased baking sheets.
• Bake 12-15 minutes.
• Allow to cool 5 minutes on the pan, move to a cooling rack to cool completely, and decorate!

THE BEST CLASSIC GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
• Add the sugar to the butter and beat until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low and mix in the molasses, egg and balsamic vinegar. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and continue mixing until thoroughly combined.
• Cover and chill about 2 hours or until the dough is easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Divide the dough in half and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll each half of the dough to 1/4" thickness adding flour as needed, the dough is very sticky so use flour liberally to prevent your cutouts from sticking to the surface.
• Using cookie cutters, cut dough into shapes and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment approximately 1" apart.
• Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5-6 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for one minute and move to a wire rack.
• To make the frosting: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Whisk to combine. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag or zip top bag and snip off the tip. Add two small dots of icing where the eyes should be and then press one eye on each dot. Decorate the cookies and allow to dry for 2-4 hours or overnight.
• Store in an airtight container.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium high speed until combined and creamy-looking. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Next, beat in egg and vanilla on high speed for 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The butter may separate; that's ok.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick and slightly sticky. Divide dough in half and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap each up tightly and pat down to create a disc shape. Please see photo and description above in my post. Chill discs for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I always chill mine overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
• Remove 1 disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Generously flour a work surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin. Roll out disc until 1/4-inch thick. Tips for rolling- the dough may crack and be crumbly as you roll. What's helpful is picking it up and rotating it as you go. Additionally, you can use your fingers to help meld the cracking edges back together. The first few rolls are always the hardest since the dough is so stiff, but re-rolling the scraps is much easier. Cut into shapes. Place shapes 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll dough scraps until all the dough is shaped. Repeat with remaining disc of dough.
• Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes. If your cookie cutters are smaller than 4 inches, bake for about 8 minutes. If your cookie cutters are larger than 4 inches, bake for about 11 minutes. My oven has hot spots and yours may too- so be sure to rotate the pan once during bake time. Keep in mind that the longer the cookies bake, the harder and crunchier they'll be. For soft gingerbread cookies, follow my suggested bake times.
• Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate as desired.
• Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

BEST-EVER GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°.
• In a bowl, combine sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
• Stir in the oil, then the molasses, mixing well.
• Mix soda with boiling water and immediately stir into the mixture.
• Gradually blend in the flour, to prevent lumping.
• Then mix in eggs.
• Turn into greased 9 x 13x2-inch pan and bake in a 350° oven about 40-45 minutes.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• First, mix together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
• Next, add egg and molasses and mix well.
• In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger, stirring to combine.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
• Form or scoop balls of dough that are slightly smaller than a golf ball. Place them on a baking sheet approximately 2" to 3" apart to allow room for cookies to spread.
• Finally, bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking for approximately ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat shortening on medium speed for about 45 seconds, until light and fluffy.
• Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Beat until combined.
• Add molasses, egg, & vinegar. Beat until combined.
• Add 2 cups of the flour and beat until combined.
• Beat in the remainder, if you can. Otherwise stir it in.
• Cover and chill the dough for at least 3 hours (you can leave it overnight, too!)
• ----For basic cookies roll the dough into 2 inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Press down gently (use the bottom of a cup covered in sugar, for a bonus!)
• ----For cut-outs roll the dough (about 1/2 at a time) on to a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out.
• Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes or edges are slightly brown. Cool before icing or frosting.

THE BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES RECIPE / SIMPLY DELICIOUS

Steps:

• In a medium size mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Mix well.
• In another bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
• Add the eggs to the butter mixture and mix well. Slowly add the flour combination and mix well.
• With the mixer running on low speed gradually add the molasses and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Divide the dough in half, forming each into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, until firm, if you're in a hurry.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove one ball of dough from the fridge/freezer and place on the counter. Roll out the dough (use a little flour on your rolling pin if needed), until it's about ½ inch thick. Cut gingerbread with cookie cutters and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
• Refrigerate the cut gingerbread for 5 minutes (meanwhile you can roll out the other dough ball).
• Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes (depending on the size of your cookie cutter). Do not overbake!!
• Remove the cookies to a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.
• Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Add butter, milk, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add additional cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add frosting to piping bag if desired.

THE BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Bring molasses, brown sugar, and spices to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, and remove from heat. Stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up), then stir in butter 3 pieces at a time, letting each addition melt before adding next, until all butter is melted. Add egg and stir until combined, then stir in 3¾ cups flour and salt.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with as much of remaining ¼ cup flour as needed to prevent sticking, until soft and easy to handle, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Divide dough in half, then wrap one half in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature.
• Roll out remaining dough into a 14-inch round (⅛ inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Cut out as many cookies as possible with cutters and carefully transfer with offset spatula to 2 buttered large baking sheets, arranging them about 1 inch apart.
• Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are slightly darker, 10 to 12 minutes total (watch carefully toward end of baking; cookies can burn easily). Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough and scraps (reroll once).
• Put icing in pastry bag (if using) and pipe or spread decoratively onto cookies.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add molasses and vanilla and mix until completely combined.
• Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture about 1/2 cup at a time, adding water in between. Mix until combined.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Roll dough out on a floured board to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Use cutters to cut out shapes.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then let cool completely on wire rack.
• Decorate with royal icing and candies.

THE BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves in a large bowl.
• Mix the butter, shortening, brown sugar and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and pat to 1/2-inch thick. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to 1/4-inch thick, dusting with flour if needed. Cut into 3- to 5-inch cookies with a gingerbread man cutter or desired shape. Brush off the excess flour and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
• Bake the cookies in batches until they are golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
• For the royal icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat in 6 tablespoons of water until well combined and you have stiff glossy peaks, adding 1 tablespoon more water at a time to reach a smooth pipeable consistency. Mix in food coloring as desired. Fill pastry bags fitted with tips. Decorate the gingerbread cookies with the icing.

BEST GINGERBREAD CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended. Set aside.
• In a large bowl (KitchenAid's great for this) beat butter, shortening, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
• Add molasses & vanilla and continue to mix until well blended.
• Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and chill for 1 hour. Then let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin. Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick. Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• Cut out cookies with desired cutter. Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart. We always use the classic gingerbread man & woman, but it's fun to throw in the occasional dinosaur or bunny!
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 8-9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the hot tray for another 5 minutes after you take them out of the oven.
• Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Fully cool before frosting!
• Whisk icing ingredients together. Transfer to an icing bag and pipe onto cookies, using additional decorations like holiday M&M's, chocolate chips, red hots, etc. Have fun with it!

BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Take a large bowl and beat the butter for about 1 -2 minutes using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer. Beat the butter until it gets smooth and creamy. Add the Brown Sugar, Molasses, Vanilla Extract, and Eggs. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and beat until smooth and creamy.
• In a separate mixing bowl whisk the dry ingredients - Flour, Baking powder, Baking Soda, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, Ground Ginger, Kosher Salt, and Allspice.
• Combine the wet mixture with the dry mixture to make a dough. The Gingerbread cookie dough will be slightly sticky to touch. Pat it down to make a disc shape. Divide the cookie dough into two halves. Wrap each with plastic foil and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or for about 3 days.
• First of all, preheat your oven to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then take a baking sheet and line it up with parchment paper. You can also alternatively use silicone baking mats as they are best for baking cookies. Now take out your chilled discs of cookie dough and place them on the kitchen surface. Spread plenty of flour underneath so that the dough does not stick to the surface. Then take a large rolling pin and roll out the dough into a flat sheet of about ¼ of an inch thickness. Once you have rolled out the dough into a flat sheet you can start cutting shapes into it. Use a cookie cutter for making fun shape with your family. This is the most fun part of making gingerbread cookies!
• Once you have cut all the shapes you can place them on the baking sheet. Make sure each shape is spaced evenly and has space to breathe and expand. Now all you need to do is slide the baking sheet into the oven and let the cookies bake for about ten minutes. Once the baking time is over take the cookies out of the oven and let them rest for about five minutes on the countertop. This way the cookies can cool down. When they are sufficiently cooled down you can decorate them with any icing of your choice.
• Your gingerbread cookies are now ready! Serve them to your family or hang them on your Christmas tree!