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decorated gingerbread cookies scattered across a wooden table in a wide horizontal shot, white royal icing details and red candy buttons, sprigs of pine and a striped napkin alongside, soft natural window light, shallow depth of field, landscape orientation

Gingerbread Cookies

Soft-baked gingerbread cookies with rounded edges are cut into fun shapes and are decorated with a royal icing finish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 cup molasses
  • 1 egg

Method
 

  1. Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and a pinch of salt together in a bowl.
  2. Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then mix in the molasses and egg.
  3. Stir the dry mix into the wet until a stiff dough forms, then chill it for an hour.
  4. Roll the dough to a quarter inch, cut out shapes, and arrange on lined baking sheets.
  5. Bake at 350F for 9 to 10 minutes, then cool fully before icing on the faces and buttons.

Notes

Chilling the dough is non-negotiable if you want your gingerbread people to keep their arms and legs.