Gingerbread Cookies Without Molasses
Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced, these Gingerbread Cookies Without Molasses have all the classic holiday flavor you love using simple pantry ingredients. They hold their shape beautifully for cut outs and bake up perfect every time. The easiest and most festive gingerbread cookies for decorating, gifting, or adding to your Christmas cookie tray.
Equipment
- 2 large baking sheets
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams ) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (220 grams) dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (280 grams) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together: Flour, Baking soda ,Salt, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until well combined.
- With the mixer on medium speed mix in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or with a spatula until the dough is just combined and forms a cohesive ball. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
- When ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 350 F (170 C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin roll out one disc of chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Keep the other half of the dough in the refrigerator.
- Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Carefully transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Re-roll scraps once.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look slightly puffed and set. The cookies will firm up more as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate once fully cooled!
Notes
- Dark Brown Sugar is Key: Do not substitute white sugar for all of the brown sugar. The packed dark brown sugar is essential as it replaces the moisture and deep caramel flavor normally provided by molasses, resulting in a rich, chewy cookie.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Too much flour is the main culprit for dry, crumbly cookies. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off, or use a kitchen scale for the most accurate result.
- Don't Skip the Chill: Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours is non-negotiable for cut-out cookies! It firms up the butter and prevents the cookies from spreading in the oven, ensuring your shapes are crisp and clean.
- Even Thickness for Baking: When rolling the dough, aim for a consistent ¼-inch thickness. This ensures all your cookies bake evenly and have the ideal soft texture.
- Don't Overbake: Pull the cookies out of the oven when the centers look set and the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden-brown. They will continue to set and firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you don't have individual ground spices you can use 2 teaspoons of ground ginger plus 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 0.2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 62mgPotassium: 15mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 103IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.1mg
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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