Step 1

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.

Step 2

Cream sugar, butter and orange zest for 5-8 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Step 3

Whisk eggs, molasses and lemon juice together in another bowl.

Step 4

Add egg mixture to butter mixture.

Step 5

Combine dry ingredients with wet until just combined. Avoid overworking dough, or cookies will be tough.

Step 6

Wrap in cling wrap and chill overnight.

Step 7

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 8

Lightly knead dough, roll out, and cut cookies. Place on silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Return cut out cookies to refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes until firm before baking.

Step 9

For soft gingerbread cookies, bake 10-12 minutes. For crispy gingerbread cookies, bake for up to 20 minutes.

Step 10

Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet.