Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar (for royal icing)
- 4 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until smooth.
- Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough into two portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out one portion of dough on a floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
- Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 9–10 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing, beat powdered sugar, water, meringue powder, and cream of tartar until smooth and glossy. Use to decorate cooled cookies as desired.
Notes
- Do not overbake to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
- Use a slice of bread in the container to maintain softness during storage.
- Dough and undecorated cookies freeze well for advance prep.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
