Description
This Gingerbread Cookies That Won’t Spread Recipe ensures perfectly shaped holiday treats. Say goodbye to melted cookie men with my tried-and-true method!
Ingredients
- Dough Foundation:
- Unsalted Butter: For richness, honestly, don’t skimp on the fat here. Makes a difference!
- Granulated Sugar: Just enough sweetness, balanced with molasses.
- Dark Molasses: This is the heart of gingerbread! Blackstrap is too strong, I learned that the hard way.
- Large Egg: Binds it all together. A room temp egg helps everything emulsify smoothly.
- Spice Symphony:
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure! Don’t pack it, use a spoon-and-level method, or your cookies will be tough.
- Ground Ginger: The star spice, of course! Freshly ground if you’re feeling fancy.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth.
- Ground Cloves: A little goes a long way, don’t overdo it, or it’ll taste like toothpaste.
- Ground Nutmeg: A hint of nutty sweetness.
- Salt: Balances all those sweet and spicy notes.
- Leavening & Lift:
- Baking Soda: Helps them rise just a touch without spreading too much.
Instructions
- Creaming the Foundation:: First things first, grab your stand mixer and cream together the room temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This usually takes me about 3-5 minutes, and honestly, it feels like forever, but trust the process. You’ll see it transform from dense to airy, and that’s exactly what we want for a tender cookie. I love watching it turn pale; it always feels like the first step to something delicious.
- Adding the Sticky Sweetness:: Next, beat in the dark molasses and that room temperature egg. Mix until everything is well combined and smooth. Sometimes it looks a bit curdled at first, and I used to panic, but just keep mixing! It’ll come together. This is where that signature gingerbread color starts to develop, and the smell of molasses begins to fill the kitchen. It’s a good smell, a really good smell.
- Mixing Dry Goodness:: In a separate bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Give it a good whisk to make sure all those spices are evenly distributed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bitten into a cookie only to find a pocket of unmixed cinnamon—oops! Evenly mixed spices are key for every bite of these amazing gingerbread cookies.
- Bringing the Dough Together:: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix! As soon as you see no more streaks of flour, stop. Overmixing develops the gluten too much, and we want tender, not tough, cookies. The dough will be a bit sticky, but that’s okay for our perfect gingerbread cookies.
- The Chilling Secret for Gingerbread Cookies That Won’t Spread Recipe:: Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and pop them in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or even overnight. This step is non-negotiable for Gingerbread Cookies That Won’t Spread Recipe success! I once skipped this, thinking “I’m in a hurry!” and my cookies spread like crazy. The cold butter and flour need time to firm up, making the dough much easier to roll and preventing those sad, shapeless cookies.
- Rolling and Cutting Perfection:: Once chilled, dust your work surface and rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out your desired shapes with cookie cutters. I love using classic gingerbread men and stars, but honestly, any shape works! Carefully transfer the cutouts to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Re-roll scraps, but try not to handle the dough too much, or it will warm up and get sticky again.
- Baking to Golden Perfection:: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set. Baking time can vary, so keep an eye on them! They should smell absolutely incredible. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This is where the magic happens for our gingerbread, holding their crisp, perfect shape!