Classic gingerbread man cookies

By foodiva

Ingredients

• 14 7/8 ounces (3 1/2 cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon all spice
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 ounces (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 5 5/8 ounces (3/4 cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 6 ounces (1/2 cup) molasses*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• extra flour, for dusting
• confectioner's sugar, for dusting (optional)

Details

Servings 16
Cooking time 8mins
Adapted from brighteyedbaker.com

Preparation

Step 1

I have a limited amount of patience for roll-out cookies, which is why you don’t see them making an appearance on the blog very often. But apparently in the name of Christmas (and REALLY good cookies) I’m willing to put in the extra effort and chill, roll, cut, repeat like it’s no big deal. This is all just to say that if you catch me trying to convince you to make any kind of roll-out cookies, they definitely, 100%, must be worth it. ←Trust.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together until very light and fluffy, wiping down the bowl and beater as needed. Beat in the egg until fully and smoothly incorporated. Beat in the molasses and vanilla extract until evenly incorporated.

Scrape down the bowl and beater and add the flour mixture, mixing in on lowest speed until almost evenly combined. Finish folding in by hand just until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with one half of dough at a time, remove from fridge and transfer to a sheet of parchment dusted generously with flour. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll out to 1/4" thick, adding more flour as needed. Cut out gingerbread and transfer to prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie. Bake in preheated oven for 7-9 minutes, until cookies look dry on top but are still a bit soft to the touch in the center.***

Meanwhile, ball up the scraps from the first half of dough, wrap, and refrigerate. Repeat the above process with the second half of dough, making sure to use a cool baking sheet for each new batch of cookies.**** Finally, combine all dough scraps together and roll, cut, bake, and repeat as/if needed until all cookies are made.

add one

You can’t beat classic gingerbread! Great recipe and beautiful photos!