Perfect Gingerbread Cookies Recipes

GINGERBREAD ROLLED COOKIES

Steps:

• Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Whisk to aerate and combine.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the molasses and blend on medium until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and continue to mix on medium until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl until the mixture comes together. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture and water, alternating in 3 additions. Mix until the ingredients are combined.
• Mound the dough onto a clean workspace and press into two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the dough to hydrate and the butter to firm up.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze the cookie cut-outs for 15 minutes so they will retain their shape when baked.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place two racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
• Bake, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies have dried out and are baked through, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating. Continue until all of the cookie dough has been used.
• After cooling completely, decorate the cookies using royal icing or glaze.
• To decorate with royal icing: Transfer 1/2 cup of royal icing to a piping bag with a #2 metal piping tip (small round tip). Pipe as desired--the royal icing will need about 1 hour to dry, or overnight if you plan to pack them for shipping. Add additional royal icing to the piping bag as needed.
• To decorate with glaze: Dip the top half of the cookie into the glaze. Sprinkle the cookies with colored sugar as desired. Decorate with various candies if using.
• Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the egg whites and mix on low until combined, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time, if needed, to desired thickness.
• Use immediately, as the royal icing will dry out. Or, store in a closed container in the refrigerator until ready to use (you may need to whisk in a little water again for it to be the desired thickness). Makes about 3 cups icing.
• Add the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Spoon about 1 teaspoon on each cookie and use a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread the glaze on in an even layer. Sprinkle with colored sugar on top, if desired. Makes 1 1/2 cups glaze.

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.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses and egg. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients; mix just until a dough forms. Place dough on floured plastic wrap; pat into an 8-inch square. Wrap well; chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time (rewrap and refrigerate other half), place dough on floured parchment or waxed paper; roll out 1/8 inch thick, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Freeze dough (on paper) until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes, and transfer to baking sheets. Decorate with sugar or sprinkles, as desired.
• Bake until firm and edges just begin to darken, 10 to 18 minutes, depending on size. Cool completely on baking sheets.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat together the butter, treacle, brown sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, then beat through all of the remaining dry ingredients apart from the caster sugar. Chill the mixture in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll the mixture into 20 even-sized balls (weighing for accuracy, if you like). Tip the caster sugar onto a small plate, then add each ball and roll around to coat. Space each ball out on the baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.