Gingerbread Cookie Dough (Printable)

A spicy-sweet dough blending warm spices and molasses, ideal for crisp yet chewy baked treats.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# How-to Steps:

01 - Whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and dark brown sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or by hand until a soft dough forms.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape each into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Lightly flour surface and roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness; cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set; let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and actually gets better when you chill it overnight, so you can make it stress-free ahead of time
  • Those warm spices create a sophisticated flavor that feels fancy but tastes like home
  • You'll end up with perfectly crispy-edged, chewy-centered cookies every single time once you get the baking time right
02 -
  • Cold dough that's properly chilled actually rolls out easier and bakes more evenly—I learned this the hard way by rushing and making a mess with warm dough
  • The baking time is genuinely 8 to 10 minutes, and checking at 8 minutes is not overkill—underbaked cookies spread too much, while overbaked ones lose that chewy center you're after
03 -
  • If you want extra-crispy cookies, bake an additional 1 to 2 minutes—they'll harden more as they cool, so don't be afraid of that golden-brown color
  • Room temperature dough is impossible to work with, but dough that's been chilled until just slightly cold is the sweet spot for rolling without cracks

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