Winter is here along with the holidays, it’s that time of year where everyone travels to see family or stay cozy at home. Whether you are traveling or staying home you need to make these delicious soft on the inside crisp on the outside gingerbread cookies! Get your mise en place ready and let’s start baking.

You’ll need:

• 3 and 1/2 cups (440g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 10 Tablespoons (2/3 cup; 145g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup (160ml; about 200g) unsulphured or dark molasses 
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• optional: easy cookie icing or royal icing

When I made these myself I upped the amount of ginger and cinnamon to 3 tablespoons because I really like a spicy cookie but you can use as much or as little as you desire! Also if you can’t find molasses you can use raw blue agave as a substitute!

Instructions to get started:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium high speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Next, beat in egg and vanilla on high speed for 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The butter may separate; that’s ok.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick and slightly sticky. Divide dough in half and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap each up tightly and pat down to create a disc shape. Chill discs for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I always chill mine overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
• Remove 1 disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Generously flour a work surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin. Roll out the disc until 1/4-inch thick. Tips for rolling—the dough may crack and be crumbly as you roll. What’s helpful is picking it up and rotating it as you go. Additionally, you can use your fingers to help meld the cracking edges back together. The first few rolls are always the hardest since the dough is so stiff, but re-rolling the scraps is much easier. Cut into shapes. Place shapes 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll dough scraps until all the dough is shaped. Repeat with the remaining disc of dough.
• Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes. If your cookie cutters are smaller than 4 inches, bake for about 8 minutes. If your cookie cutters are larger than 4 inches, bake for about 11 minutes. My oven has hot spots and yours may too—so be sure to rotate the pan once during bake time. Keep in mind that the longer the cookies bake, the harder and crunchier they’ll be. For soft gingerbread cookies, follow my suggested bake times.
• Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to the cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate as desired.
• Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

And there you go, the best gingerbread cookies you’ll have for the holidays. This was the first time I’ve made gingerbread cookies and I highly recommend that you give this recipe a try. Don’t be afraid to try something new. You never know what the end result will be and who knows maybe you’ll love doing it.

Happy holidays! Stay safe and cozy in these cold months!

This is the recipe link: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-gingerbread-cookies/#tasty-recipes-71005