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Classic Holiday Gingerbread Cookies
These gingerbread cookies bring back so many memories of baking with my kids during Christmas. I love that you don't have to chill the dough like most recipes which means we can get right to the fun part decorating. The smell of ginger and spices fills the whole house making everything feel festive. My family looks forward to making these little guys every holiday season.
A Holiday Tradition
Nothing says Christmas like a kitchen full of gingerbread goodies. I often make a batch of gingerbread donuts alongside these cookies for our holiday brunch. The kids always giggle saying "run run as fast as you can" while we're decorating them. There's something magical about these little cookie people that brings out everyone's playful side.
What You Need
- Butter: Make sure to grab unsalted it makes a difference
- Sweeteners: Regular sugar and that rich dark molasses
- Egg: Just one is all you need
- Flour: Regular all purpose works great
- Spices: Ginger nutmeg and allspice give that perfect flavor
- Cream of tartar: My secret for soft fluffy cookies
- Vanilla: Real extract makes everything better
- Powdered sugar: For our pretty icing
- Decorations: Those cute little holly bits make them extra festive
Let's Make Some Gingerbread Friends
- Get Started
- First thing I do is heat the oven to 350°F and grab my favorite cookie sheets. The kids love helping line them with parchment
- Mix the Wet Stuff
- In my mixer I blend butter molasses sugar egg and vanilla until everything looks smooth and creamy
- Add Dry Ingredients
- I mix all the spices flour and cream of tartar in a bowl then slowly add it to my wet ingredients. The kitchen starts smelling amazing right about now
- Rolling Time
- Flour your counter then roll out that beautiful dough until it's about 1/4 inch thick. This is my favorite part
- Cut Out Shapes
- Now comes the fun part. The kids love pressing the cutters into the dough making our little gingerbread people
- Time to Bake
- Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes. They should be just set but still soft in the middle
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Making Them Pretty
For the icing I whip up egg whites cream of tartar vanilla and powdered sugar until it's nice and thick. Put it in a piping bag and let everyone get creative. My kids love giving their gingerbread people different personalities with different faces and outfits.
No Molasses No Problem
Sometimes I run out of molasses and honestly using dark corn syrup or honey works in a pinch. The flavor's a bit different but still delicious. Real molasses gives that classic deep rich taste but don't let not having it stop you from making these cookies.
Finding Cookie Cutters
I found my favorite gingerbread cutters at craft stores but Amazon has tons of options too. Sometimes I spot them in Walmart's holiday section. Don't feel like you have to stick to just gingerbread men shapes any holiday cookie cutter works great with this dough.
Fun Cookie Ideas
This dough is so versatile we use it all year round. At Christmas we make reindeer by turning the gingerbread men upside down adding chocolate icing and red candies for noses. For Halloween we make spooky gingerbread skeletons and ghosts the kids think it's hilarious.
More Gingerbread Treats
If you love these cookies you've got to try my other gingerbread goodies. The mini cheesecakes are perfect for parties and that Starbucks copycat gingerbread loaf is amazing with coffee. My gingerbread sandwich cookies and kiss cookies always disappear first from the cookie tray.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why doesn't this dough need chilling?
The balance of butter and flour creates a dough that's firm enough to roll right away, saving time without sacrificing texture.
- → Can I make the icing ahead?
Yes, store royal icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface.
- → How thick should I roll the dough?
Roll to 1/4 inch thickness for the perfect balance of crisp edges and soft centers. Thinner cookies will be crispier.
- → Can I freeze decorated cookies?
Freeze undecorated cookies up to 3 months. Add icing after thawing as freezing can affect icing texture.
- → How do I know when they're done baking?
Edges should be slightly firm but centers still slightly soft. They'll firm up as they cool.