Vanilla & Vine

With the brisk arrival of fall, holidays, and family gatherings, there is nothing more comforting than old-fashioned gingerbread cookies! These cookies are soft, sweetly spiced, and perfect with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. They are the perfect activity to do with little ones, especially if you have some fun cookie cutters! Just a heads up that this dough is a softer dough than that used for building gingerbread houses, so it won’t be quite sturdy enough to hold up any frosting-covered roofs!

My history with Old-fashioned Gingerbread Cookies

Growing up, we didn’t make gingerbread cookies. Like ever. I had the store-bought versions from time to time, but never quite understood the hype about them. That all changed when my mom, my sister and I participated in a Cookie Palooza for a local charity during the holidays, and we challenged ourselves to make the perfect old-fashioned gingerbread cookie. It was a blast! 

We played Christmas music in the background while we measured out the sticky molasses, sweet brown sugar, and delicious cinnamon, allspice and ginger. Mixing and rolling the dough was my favorite part! Once the dough was rolled, my sister chose her favorite cookie cutter of the day (it really changed day by day!) and cut as many cookies as she could before I needed to reroll the dough. Once ready for the oven, my mom would place the cookies on a cookie sheet, toss them in the oven, and we’d ready the next batch! 

Getting the chance to bake for a good cause was made even more sweet thanks to the delicious gingerbread treats made that night! Read on to see how I make them!

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies

Makes about 20-24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cup (400g) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 10 tbsp (142g) softened unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup (160ml; about 200g) dark molasses
• 1 large egg, room temp, beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or handheld mixer, beat butter for 1 minute on medium speed until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and molasses, mixing to fully incorporate. Next, beat in egg and vanilla on high for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Your butter may separate at this point; that’s okay!
3. Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined and uniform in color (it happens quickly!). The dough will be thick and a bit sticky. Divide dough in half, form each half into a disk shape, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but can back it up to 2 hours if in a rush.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
5. Generously remove any rings/jewelry, and flour your work surface, rolling pin, and hands. Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes using desired cookie cutters. Place cookies on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

1. Bake 9-10 minutes for softer cookies and 11-12 minutes for crispier cookies but be careful not to burn the edges! Allow cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts:

• Servings: 20-24
• Calories: 153 kcal
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 4g
• Carbs: 28g

Gingerbread Cookie Tips and Tricks

Want to make old-fashioned gingerbread cookies like a pro? Follow these tips and tricks!

• I prefer to use Grandma’s Molasses brand for the dark molasses, as the flavor is deep, complex, and delicious!
• When ready to bake the cookies, I pull my dough out of the fridge, one disk at a time, during the final 5-7 minutes of the oven preheating. This allows for easier rolling, but can sometimes cause the dough to be a bit more sticky.
• Feel free to substitute fresh ginger for the ground ginger, but I recommend reducing the amount used to 1 1/2 tsp, as it can be a bit spicy.
• Once baked, the cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Have you made these Old-fashioned Gingerbread Cookies?

I would love to hear about it! Have you tried any new variations and made it your own? Feel free to comment below! Since we recently added a golden doodle named King to our furry family, I have absolutely loved using our dog themed cookie cutters, which include a dog, a pawprint, a bone, and a doghouse! What are your favorite cookie cutter shapes to use? If you haven’t made these yet, I hope this has inspired you to roll up your sleeves and roll out some dough, as I can guarantee that the delightful, warm smells that fill your home will be worth every bite!