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Home » My Latest Recipes

Dough for Gingerbread Cookies

Nov 4, 2024 · Leave a Comment

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Looking for a foolproof recipe to make dough for gingerbread cookies? This one is exactly what you need! It produces cookies with a sturdy yet tender texture, perfect for all your festive shapes and designs. With this reliable dough, you can get creative with confidence, knowing your cookies will bake evenly without any unexpected spreading.

three decorated gingerbread heart cookies

This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to the terms page for more information.

Gingerbread cookies get their distinct, rich flavor from molasses and spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. This recipe balances these flavors perfectly.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Decorating
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • FAQ
  • More holiday recipes
  • 📋 Recipe

Ingredients

Gather the following ingredients to make the gingerbread cookie dough:

ingredients needed to make gingerbread dough for cookies including flour, salt, baking soda, molasses, spices, butter, egg and brown sugar
  • All-purpose flour: sift flour if necessary to remove lumps
  • Baking soda and salt
  • Spices: ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves
  • Unsalted butter and an egg: bring both of these ingredients to room temperature before beginning recipe
  • Brown sugar: use light or dark brown sugar
  • Dark molasses: use regular molasses and not blackstrap molasses (blackstrap molasses is too powerful a flavor for these cookies).

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Follow directions below to make the dough for gingerbread cookies:

flour, baking soda and spices whisked together in a bowl

1 - Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Sift flour through a fine mesh sieve if necessary to remove any lumps. Set aside.

butter and brown sugar creamed together in mixing bowl

2 - Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (note - a hand-mixer may be used). Mix on medium speed until it becomes light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

molasses added to mixing bowl to make gingerbread dough for cookies

3 - Add molasses to mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

add added to mixing bowl to make cookie dough

4 - Add egg to mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

dry ingredients adding to mixing bowl

5 - Add dry ingredients (flour, spices, etc...) to mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until just combined. Take care not to overmix, as this can lead to less tender cookies. If the dough appears crumbly, gently knead it with your hands until it comes together.

two discs of gingerbread cookie dough wrapped in plastic to chill

6 - Divide dough in half and form into two flattened discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours or until fully chilled.

rollout out gingerbread dough with some cookies cut out using cookie cutters

7 - Generously flour a work surface. Roll out dough until it is slightly less than ¼ inch thick. Using your choice of cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes and place them on baking sheets. Continue rolling out dough and cutting shapes until all the dough is used up.

clock to set baking time

8 - Bake cookies that are approximately 3 inches in size for 8 to 10 minutes. For larger cookies, bake a few minutes longer, and for smaller cookies, bake a few minutes less. Bake at 350℉ / 180℃.

Decorating

To decorate gingerbread cookies, you have a few classic and fun options. Here are some ideas:

  • Royal Icing: This is a traditional choice that hardens nicely. You can pipe fine lines, dots, and other details. Add a few drops of food coloring for different colors.
  • Fondant: Roll out fondant and cut it into shapes that match your cookies.
  • Powdered sugar: for a simple, yet classic decoration, place a few tablespoons of powdered sugar in a mesh sieve and sprinkle over cookies
  • Natural Decorations: For a rustic look, consider using dried fruit, nuts, or seeds
two decorated heart cookies made using gingerbread dough recipe

Gingerbread heart cookies

I used royal icing for the gingerbread cookies in this post. Check out the following video for a demo on how to achieve this:

Equipment

You need the following equipment to make the gingerbread cookie dough:

  • Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • Baking sheets
  • Parchment or silicone baking mats
  • Rolling pin

Storage

Place cookies in an airtight container or tightly-sealed cookie tin, separating layers with parchment or wax paper. They can stay fresh this way for up to two weeks. Alternatively, wrap undecorated cookies well and freeze for up to 2 months.

FAQ

How do I prevent the gingerbread dough from cracking when I roll it out?

If the dough cracks, it may be too cold. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling. You can also knead it lightly to warm it up slightly.

More holiday recipes

Looking for other recipes for your holiday celebration? Try these:

  • gingerbread whoopie pie on a serving dish and a Santa cookie jar in the background
    Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
  • Holiday Linzer cookies on a wooden serving platter
    Holiday Linzer Cookies
  • Hot chocolate bombs decorated as Rudolf and Christmas trees some with white chocolate and some with dark chocolate
    Best Hot Chocolate Bombs
  • five cream puff wreaths with red bows on a plate and sprinkled with powdered sugar
    Holiday Cream Puff Wreaths

I hope this dough for gingerbread cookies meets your expectations as it has mine! Having a reliable recipe gives you all the essentials to make festive treats that taste as amazing as they look!

📋 Recipe

two decorated heart cookies made using gingerbread dough recipe

Dough for Gingerbread Cookies

This recipe produces cookies with a sturdy yet tender texture, perfect for all your festive shapes and designs. With this reliable dough, you can get creative with confidence, knowing your cookies will bake evenly without any unexpected spreading.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Resting Time 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 28 medium cookies
Calories 124 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 Cookie Sheet Pans Lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper
  • 1 Hand Mixer or
  • 1 Stand Mixer
  • Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
  • Rolling Pin
  • Cookie cutters

Ingredients
 
 

Gingerbread cookie dough

  • ⅔ Cup Unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ Cup Brown sugar light or dark
  • ⅔ Cup Dark Molasses use unsulfured molasses
  • 1 Large Egg room temperature
  • 3 ½ Cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt

Instructions
 

Gingerbread cookie dough

  • Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Sift flour through a fine mesh sieve if necessary to remove any lumps. Set aside.
    3 ½ Cups All-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon Ground ginger, 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Ground cloves, 1 teaspoon Baking soda, ½ teaspoon Salt
  • Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (note - a hand-mixer may be used).
    ⅔ Cup Unsalted butter, ¾ Cup Brown sugar
  • Mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of bowl as needed.
  • Add molasses to mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
    ⅔ Cup Dark Molasses
  • Add egg to mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until combined, scraping down bowl as needed.
    1 Large Egg
  • Add dry ingredients (flour, spices, etc...) to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until well combined.
  • Note: if dough appears crumbly, gently knead with your hands until it comes together.
  • Divide dough in half and form into two flattened discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours or until fully chilled.

Rolling dough and baking

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ / 180℃
  • Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • Generously flour a work surface. Continue to add more flour if dough starts to stick when rolling out.
  • Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator at a time. Roll the dough into a sheet until it is slightly less than ¼ inch thick.
  • Using your choice of cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes and place them on baking sheets. Continue rolling out the dough and cutting shapes until all the dough is used up.
  • Bake cookies that are approximately 3 inches in size for 8 to 10 minutes. For larger cookies, bake a few minutes longer, and for smaller cookies, bake a few minutes less.
  • Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Decorate as desired.

Notes

  • If the dough cracks, it may be too cold. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling. You can also knead it lightly to warm it up slightly.
  • If dough becomes sticky, place it back in your refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill it slightly.
  • Place cookies in an airtight container or tightly-sealed cookie tin, separating layers with parchment or wax paper. They can stay fresh this way for up to two weeks. Alternatively, wrap undecorated cookies well and freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 112IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Keyword gingerbread cookie dough, gingerbread dough
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Pastry Chef Stephanie

Welcome to Desserts With Stephanie. I hope you enjoy your visit. All the recipes and techniques I discuss on this site have been fully tested in my bakery for more than 15 years. Let's have some fun in the kitchen and put a smile on someone's face with a little sweetness.

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