Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread cookies are sweet, spicy, and deliciously festive.

Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients

These are the ingredients you'll need to make this top-rated gingerbread cookie recipe:

· Margarine: This recipe starts with margarine, which usually yields a crispy cookie. You can substitute butter if you like.· Sugar: White sugar (½ cup, to be exact) adds the perfect amount of sweetness.· Egg yolk: You'll use just the yolk for these gingerbread cookies, resulting in a rich texture.· Molasses: Make sure you don't use blackstrap molasses, as it will likely overpower the other ingredients.· Flour: All-purpose flour adds structure and holds the cookie dough together.· Salt: Just a pinch of salt enhances the other flavors.· Leaveners: Baking soda and baking powder act as leaveners, which means they help the cookies rise.· Spices: This gingerbread cookie recipe is spiced with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make these spicy gingerbread cookies:

1. Make the dough: Beat the wet ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Gradually stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture.2. Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two discs, cover in storage wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours or up to overnight.3. Roll the dough: Roll the discs out one at a time. Cut into desired shapes.4. Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven until they're firm.

How to Store Gingerbread Cookies

Allow the gingerbread cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to five days.

Can You Freeze Gingerbread Cookies?

Yes! There are two ways to freeze gingerbread cookies: baked and unbaked.

To freeze baked cookies, simply place the cooled (and undecorated) cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and decorate at room temperature.

To freeze cookie dough, wrap the dough ball tightly in storage wrap. Wrap it again in foil. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Roll out the dough and bake according to the recipe.

Cookdap Community Tips and Praise

“Loved these,” raves Nicole C. “Wonderful crispness and snap — proved to be very popular and I will now be a regular in my Christmas baking.”

“I have used this recipe for several years now,” says laceyj1233. “I look forward to the holidays so I can make these. The only thing that I have changed is using butter instead of margarine. Delicious and soft cookies every time.”

“The best gingerbread men recipe I’ve found,” according to Michelle Russell.They get better with age so save some for several days to try later with hot coffee or cold milk.”