gingerbread cookie

The dough must be chilled for at least three hours and up to two days. The cookies can be prepared up to one week ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I had to bake many batches to finally accomplish the perfect gingerbread cookie. When the dough is rolled thin, it will bake crisp and almost cracker-like. Yet, when rolled thick (my preference), the cookies turn out plump and moist. In either case, the flavor will be complex and almost hot-spicy.

Gingerbread Cookies 101

all-purpose flour

baking soda

cinnamon

ginger

allspice

cloves

salt

black pepper

(1 stick) unsalted butter,

vegetable shortening,

brown sugar

unsulfured molasses

Royal Icing (recipe follows)

confectioners' sugar

egg-white powder

water

The Best Gingerbread Cookies

Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter and vegetable shortening until well-combined, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)

To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time, keeping the other disk refrigerated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just warm enough to roll out without cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough has been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it may need a few more minutes.) Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick, being sure that the dough isn't sticking to the work surface (run a long meal spatula or knife under the dough occasionally just to be sure, and dust the surface with more flour, if needed). For softer cookies, roll out slightly thicker. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and transfer to nonstick cookie sheets, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. Gently knead the scraps together and form into another disk. Wrap and chill for 5 minutes before rolling out again to cut out more cookies.

Bake, switching the positions of the cookies from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are set and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire cake racks to cool completely. Decorate with Royal Icing. (The cookies can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in airtight containers at room temperature.)

Make ahead: The icing can prepared up to 2 days ahead, stored in an airtight container with a moist paper towel pressed directly on the icing surface, and refrigerated.

This icing hardens into shiny white lines, and is used for piping decorations on gingerbread people or other cookies. Traditional royal icing uses raw egg whites, but I prefer dried egg-white powder, available at most supermarkets, to avoid any concern about uncooked egg whites.

When using a pastry bag, practice your decorating skills before you ice the cookies. Just do a few trial runs to get the feel of the icing and the bag, piping the icing onto aluminum foil or wax paper. If you work quickly, you can use a metal spatula to scrape the test icing back into the batch.

Dried egg-white powder is also available by mail order from The Baker's Catalogue, 1-800-827-6836. Meringue powder, which is dehydrated egg whites with sugar already added, also makes excellent royal icing; just follow the directions on the package. However, the plain unsweetened dried egg whites are more versatile, as they can be used in savory dishes, too. Meringue powder is available from Adventures in Cooking (1-800-305-1114) and The Baker's Catalogue.

In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at low speed, beat the confectioners' sugar, egg-white powder and water until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until very stiff, shiny and thick enough to pipe; 3 to 5 minutes. (The icing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, stored in an airtight container with a moist paper towel pressed directly on the icing surface, and refrigerated.)

To pipe line decorations, use a pastry bag fitted with a tube with a small writing tip about 1/8-inch wide, such as Ateco No. 7; it may be too difficult to squeeze the icing out of smaller tips. If necessary, thin the icing with a little warm water. To fill the pastry bag, fit it with the tube. Fold the top of the bag back to form a cuff and hold it in one hand. (Or, place the bag in a tall glass and fold the top back to form a cuff.) Using a rubber spatula, scoop the icing into the bag. Unfold the cuff and twist the top of the bag closed. Squeeze the icing down to fill the tube. Always practice first on a sheet of wax paper or aluminum foil to check the flow and consistency of the icing.

Traditional Royal Icing: Substitute 3 large egg whites for the powder and water.

I've made these cookies the past 4 Christmases. They're tricky, but if you get them right, people will rave about them. 4 stars b/c I made a few modifications: I doubled all the spices except for salt &amp; pepper (a must), used powdered sugar to roll out the dough instead of flour (otherwise they can become over-floured), &amp; slightly reduced the baking time to make them softer (8.5 mins). Tips: Above all, DO NOT beat in the flour mixture using an electric mixer. This is what makes the dough sticky &amp; impossible to work with. You must stir in the flour mixture with a spoon. 2nd tip: let the dough sit overnight &amp; always re-refrigerate scraps before re-rolling. 3rd tip: only work with a small piece of the dough (enough to make 2 cookies) at a time. Keep the rest refrigerated. 4th tip: roll out the dough on small pieces of parchment paper, cut around, &amp; transfer to a baking sheet. The icing recipe is perfect as is. I do all these things &amp; my cookies turn out killer every year. Hope this helps!

My boyfriend and I have made this particular gingerbread cookie recipe two years in a row now. We love them. However, this second year making them we took the advice of one of the commenters and doubled the amounts of the spices used in the recipe. (Doubled the amounts of just the spices, nothing else) My boyfriend thought it was a tad too much nutmeg. I didn’t agree. I thought they came out perfectly this year.  He loved them, too, nutmeg issue aside. 

I use the gingerbread recipe to cut or make logs and then the kids can have fun constructing a log house,fence and walk way. I use slivered almonds for the shingles on the roof.

I took the advice of maryana3927, except I didn't double the ground cloves nor did I double the salt and pepper. Personally I would use three times the ginger for more of a bite. These turned out mildly spicy. I separated the dough into two equal parts and chilled the dough overnight wrapped in plastic wrap in the shape of two large disc shapes. I worked with 1/3 of a disc at a time when rolling the dough out, keep the rest in the refrigerator until ready to use. I also made a seperate disc from the scraps and chilled it along the way until the end. Use powdered sugar to roll the dough, not flour. If the dough is sticky it is either too warm or needs a light layer of powdered sugar applied directly to the dough and rolling pin of course. I cut them about 1/4" thick and baked for 8 minutes. Perfection was the result. 

This is a hot mess. There is not enough flour to give structure to this so called stiff dough cookie. It is spicy, gloppy, non rollable. In short a class A disaster.  Every other recipe calls for half of the fat in this one ( or twice the flour). If done that way it is passable.<div><br /></div><div>Come on Food Network does no one either read for logic or test these things out?</div>

I just made this recipe tonight and it did not turn out well.  I bake pretty often and I would like to say that I followed this recipe very closely.  After adding the flour mixture to my wet mixture, rather than creating a stiff dough, a paste was formed.  I then decided to go back to this page and read some of the reviews that people had written (which I did not initially do).  When I read that so many others, like myself, found this recipe to be lacking, I followed their advice and doubled the spices as well as added more flour.  I wish I could give everyone an update on the final result, but the dough is chilling in the refrigerator right now and has yet to be made.  Hopefully, they'll turn out well. -Even though I hadn't finished making them, I thought that the simple fact that the dough was a dud was enough to earn a single star rating.

Gingerbread men are a pain in the butt to make no matter which recipe you use. Every recipe I've found always make a LOT (2-3 dozen). I used to use the McCormick recipe, but tried this version this Christmas. I like it a lot better because I like the combo of spices called for. The pepper sounds weird, but don't be afraid. These are tasty. The key is to definitely split up the dough into the disks and refrigerate. The dough does get sticky, but you have to keep adding a tiny bit of flour as you roll and cut them out. I like a softer cookie, rather than a crunchy one. The key to that is to not roll out the dough too thin. Roll it out a little thicker - at least 1/4". I also bake for about 6 minutes. If you bake them too long the edges will start to burn. 

Wanted to like them, but like other reviews the cookie was less than perfect. I’m sad because I worked so hard and it takes a long time to roll out the dough and bake and wait to cool and decorate. My husband said they were bland Not enough spice ☹️

<span>These came out very good. I made the dough a day ahead and left it in the fridge -- made them into two disks sandwiched between parchment paper and put them them in gallon size freezer bags. Next day, I rolled the dough out with the parchment paper still unpeeled. It was very easy to handle the dough that way. </span><div><br /></div><div>The rest was just the same. I did use a spatula to move the little cutouts onto the cookie sheet. But (unlike some people complained) handling the dough was not an issue. Since I only had one cookie sheet on hand, I baked 6 at a time for 10 minutes, turning the sheet halfway. </div><div><br /></div><div>I found the meringue powder in the Wilton section of our neighborhood Walmart. I made little piping cones with parchment paper to decorate my gingerbread men. The rest was a breeze. I kept the icing in an airtight container and it kept smooth but thick and pipe-able -- once I piped it onto each cookie, it hardened very quickly!! </div><div><br /></div><div>The taste was very good. It came out a little crispier than I would have liked -- so next time I'll roll out the dough a little thicker! </div>

<span>Double or Triple the spices, and add 1/2 cup extra flour and these are perfect if you're looking for delicious soft gingerbread, otherwise they'll be sort of bland. The spices used in this recipe are good, but the ratios are too small. I like to use a tablespoon of cinnamon and ginger, and double everything else except for the salt. If your family loves spice you can even quadruple the spices and they will still be wonderful!</span><br /><br /><span>As for the royal icing, if you can't find powered egg whites you can pasteurize your own eggs easily at home. Put a few eggs in a pot filled to the top with water, and using a thermometer bring the water to a temperature of 140 degrees on medium low heat. Once the water has reached that temperature turn the heat off and let it sit for 3 minutes, and then remove the eggs from the water.</span><br /> 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/gingerbread-cookies-99446

Jill Cordes takes a behind the scenes look at the Food Network Kitchens.

Gingerbread Cookies

Let's make Soft Gingerbread Cookies this holiday season! Soft, pillowy gingerbread with sunken centers and slightly crisped edges, plus little nooks and crannies packed with ginger spice and molasses. These are SO GOOD!

Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Glaze

salted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)

white sugar

molasses

ground ginger

sugar

butter

maple syrup

confectioners’ sugar

salt,

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses; mix until incorporated.

Add flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Mix until a soft dough forms.

Scoop into small balls (a little smaller than the size of a golf ball) and roll in sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes; remove from pan so the cookies can flatten slightly as they cool.

Whisk maple glaze ingredients together until smooth. Dip one side of the baked cookies into the maple glaze and add a few festive sprinkles.

We just made these for an after school snack. These are perfection in a cookie. Soft, slightly crisp edges and don’t get me started on the maple glaze. Don’t skimp on the optional salt, it rounds out the sweetness to make these utterly perfect. These cookies will be a holiday staple in our house for years to come.

i have read atleast eight posts of yours by now, and let me tell you, your blog gives the best and the most interesting information. This is just the kind of information that i had been looking.

Delicious! These are very good and pretty easy to make. Will definitely keep the recipe in my rotation.

These cookies are SO delicious! I’m not usually a gingerbread fan but holy cow. 

My glaze didn’t quite turn out right- it was kind of stringy? Guessing because I used cheap maple syrup. Will need to try again!

I’m not usually a gingerbread cookie person but oh my god these are so good!!!

Wow, these are so moist and full of ginger, I love them! And that glaze is to die for. I did not have enough glaze to be able to dip half of the cookies but I did have enough to drizzle over the rest. I would make a double batch of glaze if you want enough to be able to dip each cookie.

So easy to make and incredibly good. We love them without the glaze. 5 stars and will make again!

These cookies are flawless - go all in and add the full amount of ginger. I did half dark brown and half white sugar and I swear,  I’m never making any other ginger snaps ever again. 

I also added a quarter cup of cream cheese to the glaze and it was WONDERFUL. I never review recipes, and I bake a LOT. These were just perfection.

Made a half batch of these for the first time today. Very tasty!!!! But my cookies were a lot flatter than the pictures. Maybe I needed a bit more flour? In any case I will make these again!

Made these according to the recipe and they are absolutely delicious.  Crisp on the outside, chewy soft on the inside. Just perfect. Left them in for 10, gave the sheet pan a whack on the kitchen counter when I took them out of the oven... flattens them and adds crunch.

Made these tonight for a cookie exchange and tried one right from the oven and another with the glaze and both are delicious! I only had blackstrap molasses so I used that and still found the cookies to be so good! Thanks for the perfect holiday cookie recipe POY!

The best ginger cookie recipe! I’m throwing out the other ginger cookies recipes and keeping this recipe.  Love them. My family loves them. Love the texture and flavor. Amazing! So pretty dipped in maple glaze and using red and green sprinkles.

Delicious! I am putting this into the regular holiday cookie rotation. Super easy, great texture, and yummy even without the glaze (which I couldn’t make because I ran out of butter!).

I made this cookie recipe to the exact measurements.    The cookie texture is great after baking, but it needs to be refrigerated for a couple of hours after mixing, or it is too mushy to roll,   the icing is good, but I would not call it a "ginger bread cookie"  it should be called a "molasses cookies" .  The molasses is way too over powering in this recipe.  I would suggest using much less.

Happy to report that these turned out AMAZING with vegan subs - specifically Becel plant-based margarine and Bob's Mill egg replacer.  Followed amounts and directions exactly.  Just gorgeous!!!!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/siZaQm2K.mp4

Let’s make Soft Gingerbread Cookies this holiday season! Soft, pillowy gingerbread with sunken centers and slightly crisped edges, plus little nooks and crannies packed with ginger spice and molasses. These are SO GOOD!

Here's the perfect holiday cookie recipe for cut-outs and decorating. The balanced blend of warm spices and molasses adds just the right amount of seasonal flavor. A combination of butter and shortening creates a dough that rolls out easily and holds its shape during baking.

all-purpose flour,

unsalted butter, melted

vegetable shortening, melted

confectioners' sugar (3 1/2 cups)

meringue powder

Food coloring,

For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves in a large bowl.

Mix the butter, shortening, brown sugar and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in four additions, making sure each batch is completely incorporated before adding the next. Divide the dough in half, wrap each piece in plastic and pat to 1/2-inch thick. Refrigerate for 2 hours. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to 1/4-inch thick, dusting with flour if needed. Cut into 3- to 5-inch cookies with a gingerbread man cutter or desired shape. Brush off the excess flour and refrigerate on a baking sheet for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Bake the cookies in batches until they are golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the royal icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat in 6 tablespoons of water until well combined and you have stiff glossy peaks, adding 1 tablespoon more water at a time to reach a smooth pipeable consistency. Mix in food coloring as desired. Fill pastry bags fitted with tips. Decorate the gingerbread cookies with the icing.

I made this recipe gluten free and I use fizzy water and replace of eggs and my whole family loved it I will definitely make it again

Followed the recipe, all worked fine. First batch cracked a little; I rolled the next carefully to 1/4 inch to better results. I think first batch was a little thicker. When rolling and cutting, work quickly because the dough get sticky and more difficult as it warms. Especially notable when re-processing (roll/cut) the areas between cookies. Don’t forget to grease your cup for measuring and pouring molasses. 

Agree with the other reviews, this recipe is a keeper.  Wonderful flavor &amp; moist cookie with crunch on exterior.

Absolutely loved these. My picky children devoured these. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/the-best-gingerbread-cookies-11531008

Chef Ben shows how to bake and decorate the quintessential holiday cookie.

Gingerbread Dough

baking powder

ground cloves, or allspice

(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

brown sugar, packed

eggs

dark molasses

Royal Icing, recipe follows

Whisk all the dry ingredients together thoroughly and set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar together in the bowl of a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, molasses, and water and beat until well combined.

Beat half of the flour mixture into the mixer until blended and smooth. Add the remaining flour mixture and then knead the dough until firm and manageable, but not dry. Add more flour if the dough is wet.

Place the dough in a sealable container or zip-top bag in a cool place for up to 2 hours. If you make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it, bring to room temperature before working the dough.

When ready to roll out the dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your cookie sheets with nonstick spray.

Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes, working in small batches and keeping the remaining dough in an airtight container so that it does not dry out. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. The gingerbread will be light brown when it is done. Let cool before icing.

Combine egg white and powdered sugar in a microwaveable bowl and microwave until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. The best way to do this is to microwave the mixture on high power, stopping every 20 seconds to take the temperature; it will take about 2 minutes and 40 seconds, but cook time will vary based on microwaves. Make sure to use clean utensils each time you check the icing. The other option is to microwave the mixture for 45 seconds on high, but the consistency will not be as good.

Beat on high speed until the icing cools and holds a stiff peak, about 2 minutes. If the icing needs to be thicker, add up to 2/3 cup more sugar; you will probably need to add about 1/3 cup more sugar. Food coloring can be added, if desired. Work with the icing in small amounts, keeping the remaining icing in an airtight container, as it will dry quickly.

Beat all ingredients together in the bowl of a mixer until stiff peaks form. Food coloring can be added, if desired. Work with the icing in small amounts, keeping the remaining icing in an airtight container, as it will dry quickly. The icing can be re-beaten if necessary.

This recipe is amazing! I came out perfect and I even divided it by 3rds as we don’t really eat tons of sweet stuff lol. 

Have been looking for a gingerbread recipe this is my new go to. I only used 3/4cup molasses it was all that was left in the house and I didn't notice an over powering taste. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. They came out great with a little spice they held there cut out shape great to.

The dough itself yields pretty gingerbread men however I find the cookie quite sickening with an overpowering of molasses.  I have made gingerbread cake from a mix with little effort and much tastier results.  I'm sorry, but I will not try this recipe for a tasty cookie.  Perhaps it is better suited for constructing gingerbread houses.  I'm disappointed.

Tasty?  Yes, indeed!  We followed the recipe to a "T" and cooked it for 11 minutes.  The result was delicious.  Next time, I'll half the recipe because, frankly, my three year old only needs to eat a few of these and it looks like we'll be enjoying these for a while.  Also, I would suggest removing them from the tray promptly and onto a cooling rack.  This is our go-to gingerbread recipe for sure.

I mixed the dough one night and put in a zip bag and put it into the frig. The next night, my kids did all the rolling and all the cutting out. Then we decorated them. They were great! The kids loved them!

i am hoping to enter the next gingerbread food network challange and  this recipie is prefevct for practice!!! if you add in some raisins it is amazing

GOOD Great. Thanks for this Recipie<br />

This recipe has been in my family for a long time. The smell will send friends and family running for the warmth of the kitchen. A note about good cookie baking: Halfway through, I always rotate the tray in the oven so the cookies bake evenly on all sides. This recipe is no exception.

Alex Guarnaschellis Gingerbread Cookies shaped like men and trees 

butter,

orange, zested

dry ginger

nutmeg

lemon, juiced

Orange

orange

orange juice

orange liqueur

corn syrup

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, add the butter, sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses and lemon juice.

When the butter and sugar are integrated, lower the speed of the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and when blended, remove the bowl from the machine. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press the first half of the dough in between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second half. This step will make it easier to finish rolling out the dough when it has chilled. It will also mean you only have half of the dough getting warm as you roll it.

Lightly flour a flat surface. Use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the first half of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly flour the cookie cutter(s) and cut the shapes, making as few scraps as possible. Use a metal spatula to gently transfer them, cookie by cookie, (the cookies should be similar size) to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough and transfer them to another baking sheet. A note about crowding the tray(s): these particular cookies can spread a little. Leave room between the cookies. Better to use 3 baking sheets with fewer cookies than to crowd them on 2 trays. Bake until brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Got scraps? Form the scraps into a ball, press it flat and chill in the refrigerator. These cookies may be a little more "tough" because the dough will have been worked a little more than the others. Why not have a little frosting on your gingerbread?

In a medium bowl add all of the ingredients and whisk together to combine. If too thick in consistency, add a touch more orange juice or water to thin out.

Use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip to pipe the frosting between 2 of the gingerbread cookies. Press the 2 cookies halves gently together.

Variation: I love springerle, the German anise-flavored cookies, for the delicate molds (and carved rolling pins) used to make them. I have made this recipe with springerle molds with stunning results. The kind of cookies that make people marvel at how great they look before they eat a half a plate of them! Simply dust the decorative molds (or rolling pin) with flour, shaking lightly to remove any excess. Roll the dough very thin (between 1/2 and 1/4-inch thick). Press or roll the dough into the molds and trace the shapes with a sharp knife to extract the cookies. Arrange them on a greased baking sheet (with some space between them) and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Not using molds? Scoop the batter in teaspoons and roll them into balls. Press the balls onto a greased baking sheet or press with the tines of a fork to make ridges. Bake until brown around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. These cookies are so beautiful, they can stand alone. Or...make gingerbread sandwiches using the above frosting as the filling...

Alex Guarnaschelli you’ve outdone yourself. These cookies are absolutely delicious!! Was a bit wary about the orange icing + gingerbread combo but it worked out perfectly. Making these every holiday season from now on!

I just can't stop eating these! :9 The dough was a little sticky at first, but the end result was DIVINE.

Cookies are excellent. Didn’t make the filling.

Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing

sugar cookie mix

pumpkin pie spice

vanilla extract

egg meringue powder

lemon juice vanilla extract

confectioners' sugar, sifted

In a large mixing bowl, blend all ingredients together and chill for up to 1 hour. Roll dough out on floured board about 1/8-inch thick. Cut desired shapes with cookie cutters and place onto sheet pan. Bake for 8 minutes in preheated oven.

With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice or extract until frothy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, smooth, and shiny. Turn to high and beat approximately 5 minutes till stiff and glossy. Add food coloring, if desired, and transfer to a pasty bag to pipe onto cookies.

The best gingerbread cookie I’ve made. Now I make them every thanksgiving 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/apps/api/playback?path=/etc/sni-asset/food/videos/0/01/019/0195/0195552

Sandra's gingerbread cookies are impressive treats - and semi-homemade.

Iced Gingerbread Cookies

Garam Masala-Chocolate Gingerbread

Dutch-processed cocoa powder

garam masala (Indian spice blend available at specialty shops)

unsalted butter,

egg,

Chocolate Glaze, recipe follows

fennel seed, dried rose petals

all purpose flour, plus for dusting

bittersweet chocolate, chopped

unsalted butter

egg white powder

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and garam masala in a large bowl. Set aside. 

Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until the butter is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and ginger; continue to beat over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Add the molasses and continue to beat until fully incorporated. Add the flour in 2 batches and mix on low until combined and forms a sticky dough. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and pat into 2 (1/2-inch thick) rectangles. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust racks to the bottom and top half of the oven. Line 3 to 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. 

Roll each portion of the dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle (if the dough becomes soft, chill for a bit in the refrigerator). Cut the dough with 3-inch cookie cutters, lay on the prepared baking sheets about 1-inch apart, and chill for 10 minutes. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Decorate, as desired, with Chocolate Glaze or Royal Icing. Garnish with toasted fennel seeds, dried rose petals, or silver dragees.

Combine all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and cook until the chocolate melts, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir to smooth out and combine.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer over medium-high speed until it forms thick and glossy peaks, about 6 minutes.

This recipe was extremely popular with many of my local and international guests this year. I used the bitter sweet chocolate glaze and I finally got to use the Persian rose petals I bought just in case a few years ago. Guests also enjoyed the fennel seed topping.  (And yes, it took a minute before I located the 3 cups of flour hidden at the bottom of the recipe)

This recipe came together well for me. I didn’t have dutch chocolate so I used natural cocoa and it turned out great. I baked it for 12 minutes to get the crispy edge and cake like center. I also used Ree Drummond’s royal icing recipe and dipped the cookies before topping it off with some dried rose petals and gold sprinkles. It’s definitely the easiest route to go when trying to ice these cookies to be picture worthy. Finally, I sealed them in plastic bags and added it to my Christmas cookie gift boxes to give it a wow factor. The cookie pairs well with the icing, but I definitely couldn’t eat more than one due to how “exotic” it tastes (in a good way).

These were the perfect spicy twist on classic gingerbread men.  We topped some with rose petals and others with lavender.  Both worked well; however, the lavender clashed with chocolate icing.  

I love these cookies. They are so yummy. I made them for Christmas and they   were a big hit at the party. I love the spice mixed with the chocolate, it was amazing. I didn't find the garam masala to overpowering. It was fantastic. Thank you Aarti. You took gingerbread to a whole next level. I will definitely try more of her recipes.

I think if you use her garam masala recipe it would have spices normally seen in sweets.  Store bought may have others such as cumin or coriander.  

I thought they were fantastic, and for 'rolling' cookies they weren't to dry or hard. I like the unique combination. I was craving some kind of molasses cocoa combination but couldn't figure out how to do it. Thank you Aarti Sequeira and food network - I'll definitely keep an eye out for more of her recipes. 

The garam masala was far more overpowering than I expected. As described by a family member, they tasted like "frosted tacos." With half the spice and twice the ginger, these might be better, but I won't be experimenting with this again. They aren't terrible cookies, but the taste is an acquired one. Some spices simply do not go well with certain ingredients. Perhaps if you're a lover of all Indian food, this would suit your palete, but if not, I wouldn't recommend this.

these were fascinating, it made gingerbread just that much more interesting. we didn't add the chocolate or icing, just had some plain &amp; some with a simple milk/powdered sugar icing but these were great either way.

I loved the flavor of these, but I cooked them too long, so they ended up a little crispy for my taste.  I think if you like cakey-type gingerbread cookies, roll these out a little thicker and don't cook them as long.  Either way, though, they have a wonderful flavor; not severe spicy flavor, but not bland either, a really great balance.

These cookies are absolutely wonderful. I did not find the spices overpowering at all. The garam masala worked perfectly with the fresh ginger and cocoa powder. For icing, I spread a thick layer of the royal icing and then drizzled them with the chocolate glaze; they were beautiful. I baked these as part of a Christmas basket and received many compliments on how "heavenly" they were. 

Sorry to say we did not like. The spices in the garam masala were way over powering. I love ginger cookies and thought these would be great. I frosted with the bittersweet and the icing, but still didn't help. 

These cookies are not to everyone's liking.  I wish I would have added some ginger powder as someone mentioned on their review.  Without the icing, I would not care too much for these cookies.  Tried it because of the garam masala. Would not make again unless I alter the recipe.

One of my family members said it best - each bite is a different flavor! I didn't have time to ice them, but they were delicious as is.  (If you're going for a sweeter dessert, the icing would have been a good idea - they are not overly sweet, but that's some of the appeal). 

These cookies are really tasty if you like gingersnaps ( which we do) I formed the dough into a cylinder and refrigerated overnight. This morning I sliced them with a sharp, thin knife and baked for 10 minutes. It worked great. 

I loved them but tweaked them a tad, our family are real ginger fanatic and we added 1 1/2 teas, of ground ginger in addition to the fresh it gave the cookies a deeper ginger flavor and really complemented the garam masala's spice. I cheated with the glaze and place bitter sweet chips on the warm cookies then spread them when they melted,

I made these cookies as a treat for my boyfriend and he loved them!  (I liked them with the chocolate glaze, but he preferred them plain.  We didn't try the royal icing.)  <br /><br />Although we both really liked them, only rating 4 stars because these definitely aren't for everyone.  We took some to a friend's housewarming party as a gift, and unfortunately they were not a hit.  I tried to warn people about the heat, but I think they were still a bit surprised by the flavor.

These cookies are wonderful! Love the addition of garam masala - such a great spicy flavor to compliment the chocolate. They don't even need the icing!

These cookies were amazing. I didn't even ice them yet..just sprinkled with sugar because i couldn't wait to try them. I was hesitant about trying this recipe because of the garam masala but it worked great. If you want to try a new gingerbread recipe, this is it! My husband and kids loved them!

The cookie was a snap to make (however, the recipe says to bake until the edges are golden- my cookies are coal black and golden doesn't show!)  I haven't iced or glazed them yet; does the chocolate glaze set up, or remain soft and slick?  I like the idea of the lime royal icing; I freeze my cookies, and royal icing freezes well.  If the glaze doesn't set, it probably won't stack and freeze.

I was so excited to see this recipe, since I have a lot of garam masala and never know what to do with it.  Since I'm very much a semi-homemade type cook, (Sandra Lee is my homegirl) I added the cocoa and garam masala to pre-made gingerbread cookie mix.  (I had to adjust the quantities down some).  Turned out fantastic!  I'm sure it would be even better if I made them the right way.  

Garam masala is a spice we use in our house often since my husband was born and raised in Nepal.  My husband and I both noticed how the peppery notes of the garam masala kind of sneak up on you at the end but is not overwhelming. The cookie does have a warm spicy feel to it that you don't get from other gingerbread cookies.  <br />I tried both the royal icing and the chocolate glaze.  I have to say I wasn't a fan of either.  I tweaked one of KPNJ's suggestions and added 1 TBSP of lime juice to the royal icing. The lime juice gave the icing a beautiful shine so that when it dried it didn't look so pastey.  I had my husband taste test three cookies, a plain royal icing, a plain chocolate glaze, and a royal icing with the lime juice added to it.  Hands down he liked the lime icing the best. All in all a good cookie and a great way to spotlight an Indian/Nepalese spice.

These cookies were amazing - wonderful combination of flavors.  I agree that the Royal Icing really brought the cookie together!!  Thanks Aarti - a new holiday staple for me!  :)

These are really great…a sophisticated take on gingerbread cookies. The cookie definitely needs the frosting to help balance the flavors. We used the royal icing to have the contrast of colors. The overall cookie is still not too sweet, which we thought was fantastic. My husband and I love them. The kids were split: one in favor, one on the fence and three against. I will make these again! 

OK - so which is the better topping?  Royal icing or chocolate glaze???

love these.... totally unexpected twist on a classic..

These were amazing! They had the most unexpected flavor that was warm and inviting, perfect for the holiday season! 5 stars!!

These cookies are delicious! Enjoyed the spices!    

Exotic and interesting, these were a total break from traditional gingerbread. Love them!

Just delicious, baked these recently and they were a big hit! The spices make them interesting and complex. Yummy! 

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Top 7 gingerbread cookie recipes from across the web

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