Description
Gingerbread Delight weaves warmth and nostalgia into classic holiday cookie perfection. Spices dance with molasses, creating irresistible comfort that connects generations and sparks sweet memories you’ll cherish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 1/4 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (9 grams) ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (3 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 grams) ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 grams) ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (170 grams) molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Icing Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) warm water
- 2 tablespoons (14 grams) meringue powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) cream of tartar
Instructions
- Sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, ensuring even distribution of spices.
- Cream softened butter with brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and airy. Incorporate molasses and egg, blending until smooth and uniform.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring until a cohesive dough forms without overmixing.
- Divide dough into two portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to enhance flavor and prevent spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness using a rolling pin.
- Use gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut out festive shapes, transferring carefully to parchment-lined baking sheets with minimal space between cookies.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes until edges are slightly golden and centers appear set. Cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare royal icing by whipping ingredients until glossy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent hardening.
- Once cookies are fully cooled, decorate with royal icing using piping bag or small spatula to create festive details.
Notes
- Adjust the blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to personalize the flavor intensity without compromising cookie texture.
- Extended refrigeration helps develop deeper flavor complexity and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- Substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to accommodate dietary restrictions while maintaining soft, chewy consistency.
- Unbaked cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months, allowing spontaneous fresh-baked cookie moments anytime.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg