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Gingerbread Christmas Cookies (No Icing)

These classic gingerbread cookies are perfectly spiced and beautifully shaped without needing a single drop of icing. The molasses gives them a gorgeous dark color and rich flavor that screams Christmas, while a simple sparkling sugar coating adds just enough sparkle. Pop them out of the oven and they're ready to serve—no waiting for frosting to dry!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar

Method
 

  1. Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add molasses and egg, beating until well combined.
  3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
  6. Sprinkle cookies generously with sparkling sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.