Bakeable gingerbread cookie dough is an amazing treat to have in hand when you want something especially delicious. Made of wonderful flavorings including vanilla, cinnamon, molasses, allspice, ginger, this cookie dough is one you’ll always want to keep on hand for when you’re ready to bake something sweet.
In this post, I’ll detail exactly how to make gingerbread cookie dough so you can bake up the best gingerbread cookies imaginable. Get your cookie cutter(s) ready because we’re ready to take a bite out of this deliciously yummy recipe. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Basic Gingerbread Cookie Dough
To get started with this dough, you’ll need a few simple ingredients. Making gingerbread dough isn’t too terribly different from other cut out cookies recipes you may have tried, although you’ll want to make sure you have certain spices on hand to really get the full effect of the gingerbread cookie dough flavor.
Oh, and don’t forget about the molasses! It isn’t something you’ll want to skip when it comes to making chewy gingerbread cookies … trust me on this one.
Okay, I think we’re ready to dive in. Here’s my personal rendition of amazing gingerbread men/gingerbread Christmas cookies. Enjoy!
Ingredients
The ingredients for the cookie dough are as follows:
Cookie Base
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- A splash of milk
Royal icing
- 2 Tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons of warm water (add more for thinner consistency)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make this Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
- Begin by beating your butter with your brown and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- To this, add your pure vanilla extract, egg, sea salt, along with your molasses. Mix until smooth.
- Next, sift your flour over the wet mixture. Add to this your baking powder (also sifted if it’s lumpy) along with your ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. If your mixture looks dry, feel free to add a splash of milk. If it is too wet, add up to two tablespoons of additional flour.
- Place your gingerbread dough in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least one hour or until firm.
- Once chilled, remove your dough from the fridge. Roll your gingerbread dough onto a floured surface using a rolling pin.
- Once flat, use cut outs to cut your gingerbread dough into shapes. As you work, consider placing any remaining dough in an airtight plastic bag to prevent moisture from being lost.
Baking your Gingerbread Cookies
Once cut out, it’s time to bake!
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- As the oven is warming, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- Carefully lay your cut out pieces over the parchment paper and bake for 12-14 minutes. The gingerbread cookies will appear golden brown around the edges when ready to come out. The size of the pieces as well as your oven’s performance may affect how long your gingerbread cookies will need to be baked.
- Allow to cool completely before icing.
Making Royal Icing
- To prepare your royal icing, start by combining your meringue powder along with your powdered sugar. Whisk thoroughly.
- From here, add your warm water along with your vanilla extract. Beat this combination with a hand mixer for about 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Thin out your icing by adding more water as needed, preferably one teaspoon at a time.
Use this icing as a glaze over baked and completely cooled cookies. You may also use a piping bag to create specific designs and decorations for your gingerbread men.
If you notice your icing drying out as you go, place it in an airtight container to retain moisture. You may also use food coloring in this royal icing recipe. Just be sure to divide the icing up before adding a color to each portion.
Gingerbread Cookie Dough Is the Ultimate Spiced Treat!
Gingerbread cookie dough is a yummy spicy cookie treat that everyone can enjoy, even when it isn’t Christmas! With all the warm flavors of molasses, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and more, I can guarantee you won’t be able to get enough of this tasty recipe once you’ve made it.
And if you’re looking for more yummy Christmas treats, check out this recipe for Christmas cracker candy!
As always, thanks for stopping by. See you next time!
FAQs
What is gingerbread dough made of?
Gingerbread cookie dough is made of much the same ingredients as other dough except it contains more warming spices along with blackstrap molasses. These ingredients paired with traditional cookie dough ingredients like butter, sugar, and eggs, make for a perfectly spiced treat anytime you’re in the mood for a cookie that’s a bit different.
Can you eat raw gingerbread cookie dough?
No, you shouldn’t. Of course, you can do whatever you want, but eating raw cookie dough comes with risks. If you want to eat cookie dough, check out cookie dough recipes that are intended to be eaten raw. The recipe featured in this post is for bakeable cookie dough and thus, should not be eaten without cooking first.
Is gingerbread cookie dough supposed to be dry?
Not really, but it also shouldn’t be too wet. The cookie dough should have a consistency similar to that of Play-Doh. Not too wet or too dry.
Should gingerbread dough be chilled before baking?
Yes, it is usually best to allow the dough to chill before you start baking the cookie dough.
Should gingerbread dough be hard or soft?
That depends on the recipe. In my experience, it is usually softer, however, it may dry out as time goes by. If you notice your gingerbread dough getting dry as roll and cut the dough, place unused portions in an airtight ziplock bag to retain its moisture.
Gingerbread Cookie with Royal Icing Recipe
- Total Time: 14 minutes
Description
Here’s my personal rendition of amazing gingerbread men/gingerbread Christmas cookies.
You’ll want to make sure you have certain spices on hand to really get the full effect of the gingerbread cookie dough flavor. And don’t forget about the molasses!
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- A splash of milk
Royal icing
- 2 Tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 tablespoons of warm water (add more for thinner consistency)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Assembling
- Begin by beating your butter with your brown and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- To this, add your pure vanilla extract, egg, sea salt, along with your molasses. Mix until smooth.
- Next, sift your flour over the wet mixture. Add to this your baking powder (also sifted if it’s lumpy) along with your ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. If your mixture looks dry, feel free to add a splash of milk. If it is too wet, add up to two tablespoons of additional flour.
- Place your gingerbread dough in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least one hour or until firm.
- Once chilled, remove your dough from the fridge. Roll your gingerbread dough onto a floured surface using a rolling pin.
- Once flat, use cut outs to cut your gingerbread dough into shapes. As you work, consider placing any remaining dough in an airtight plastic bag to prevent moisture from being lost.
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- As the oven is warming, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- Carefully lay your cut out pieces over the parchment paper and bake for 12-14 minutes. The gingerbread cookies will appear golden brown around the edges when ready to come out. The size of the pieces as well as your oven’s performance may affect how long your gingerbread cookies will need to be baked.
- Allow to cool completely before icing.
Royal Icing
- To prepare your royal icing, start by combining your meringue powder along with your powdered sugar. Whisk thoroughly.
- From here, add your warm water along with your vanilla extract. Beat this combination with a hand mixer for about 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Thin out your icing by adding more water as needed, preferably one teaspoon at a time.
Decorating
- Use this icing as a glaze over baked and completely cooled cookies. You may also use a piping bag to create specific designs and decorations for your gingerbread men.
- If you notice your icing drying out as you go, place it in an airtight container to retain moisture.
- You may also use food coloring in this royal icing recipe. Just be sure to divide the icing up before adding a color to each portion.
- Cook Time: 14 mins
Keywords: gingerbread cookie dough
