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Perfectly-spiced and crisp with a hint of cakiness, these classic gingerbread cookies hold their shape and are a blank canvas for decorating!

Classic Gingerbread Cookies

5 from 2 votes
These tried-and-true, perfectly-spiced cookies can be cut into your favorite shapes and decorated for a fun project with a delicious payoff!
Servings: About 3 dozen medium-sized cookies
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Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (144g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon (20g) corn syrup (like Karo)
  • 3¼ cup (412g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon each ground ginger, cloves, and allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Optional: Royal Icing, decorator icing, or frosting of choice; sprinkles and/or sanding sugar

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
  2. In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the boiling water. Add the corn syrup.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, spices, and salt.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the water/syrup mixture.
  5. Chill the dough for at least 3 hours or overnight. (Tip: I like to divide the dough in half, form into two discs, and then wrap separately in plastic wrap. The discs will chill more efficiently and be easier to roll later.)
  6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375℉.
  7. Roll the dough (about ¼-inch thick) on a lightly-floured surface and cut with your favorite cookie cutters. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. If desired, decorate the cooled cookies with icing, sprinkles and/or sanding sugar.

Notes

Want to prep the dough in advance? When wrapped well (in plastic wrap or a zip-top bag with the air squeezed out), the dough will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. When ready to use it, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes so it's easier to roll out. You can also freeze the gingerbread dough for up to 3 months. Again, make sure to wrap well and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. 
 
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