Go Back
CLASSIC Gingerbread Cookies

The CLASSIC Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies

Soft, chewy, perfectly spiced gingerbread cookies decorated as beautiful snowflakes. This classic holiday recipe uses warm spices, molasses, and an easy icing for festive, delicate designs.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: european
Calories: 175
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (390g)
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda (4.5g)
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger (5g)
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon (8g)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves (1g)
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (1g)
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper (0.25g)
  • 1/4 tsp salt (1.5g)
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (107g)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup molasses (170g)
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar (113g)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp milk (21g)
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract (0.5g)

Equipment

  • stand mixer or electric mixer
  • Rolling Pin
  • cookie cutters
  • piping bag

Method
 

  1. Combine flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  3. Add egg and molasses and beat until combined.
  4. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.
  5. Divide dough into three balls, flatten, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut using snowflake cookie cutters.
  7. Bake 8–10 minutes until slightly crisp but not darkened. Cool on baking sheet before transferring to a rack.
  8. Whisk icing ingredients until smooth and slowly pourable.
  9. Pipe icing onto fully cooled cookies using a piping bag or squeeze bottle.

Notes

Chill the dough for at least one hour for best rolling and shaping. Store decorated cookies carefully—icing firms but can still smush when stacked. Cookies freeze well undecorated for up to 2 months.