Soft Spiced Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies
Soft spiced gingerbread cut out cookies in Christmas tree shapes decorated with royal icing and colored sprinkles. A must bake every Christmastime.
Ingredients
- 390 g unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling (3 cups plus more for rolling)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger can add another teaspoon for stronger ginger flavor
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 156 g dark brown sugar (¾ cup)
- 85 g unsalted butter, cool room temperature
- 165 g unsulfured molasses (NOT blackstrap) ( ½ cup)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- Royal Icing see notes
- Coarse colored sugar for sprinkling on cookies see notes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices and set aside.
- In a stand mixer beat the sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the molasses, egg, vanilla and vinegar until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half, shape into two balls, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 2 days.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it on a lightly floured piece of parchment until it’s about ⅛ inch thick. Put the parchment and dough onto another cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove excess dough from around the cutouts and transfer them with a spatula to the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies begin to darken around the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not over bake.
- Cool on the sheet on a rack for about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies directly to the rack and cool completely.
- Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing and colored sugar.
Notes
Royal Icing
240 g powdered sugar ( 2 cups)
1 Tablespoon meringue powder ( or 2 pasteurized egg whites)
3 Tablespoons warm water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a very clean, grease free bowl of a stand mixer.
Add the lemon juice and water and whip until thick, 6-7 minutes. Add in more warm water a half a teaspoon at a time until thin enough to pipe but still thick enough to hold shape.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (#2 or #3) and pipe on lines to look like a garland or any shape you like. Sprinkle immediately with sugar and shake off excess sugar once dried.
Royal icing will dry quickly so keep in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel after making before spooning some into a piping bag to use. You can also use this royal icing for gluing together a gingerbread house. Just don't add as much water to keep it thick.