Gingerbread is a classic holiday treat loved for its spicy flavor and festive aroma. Making gingerbread from scratch is a fun activity that can be enjoyed with family and friends. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making delicious gingerbread cookies:
Step 1: Get your ingredients ready.
You’ll need:
– All-purpose flour
– Baking soda
– Ground ginger
– Ground cinnamon
– Ground cloves
– Salt
– Unsalted butter, softened
– Packed brown sugar
– Molasses
– Egg
Step 2: Preheat your oven.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 3: Mix dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Step 4: Cream butter and sugar.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Step 5: Add molasses and egg.
Mix in the molasses and egg until well combined.
Step 6: Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. You may need to use your hands to knead the dough together until it’s smooth.
Step 7: Roll out the dough.
Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Roll out each disk on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Step 8: Cut out shapes.
Use gingerbread cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the rolled dough. Place the cut-out shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each cookie.
Step 9: Bake the cookies.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10: Decorate (optional).
Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can decorate them with icing, sprinkles, or other decorations as desired.
Enjoy your homemade gingerbread cookies!