Name: Soft Holiday Biscuits
Prep time: 140 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 148 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup of room-temperature butter.; 3/4 cup of tightly packed brown sugar.; 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.; 1 large egg, beaten.; 1/4 cup of plain molasses.; 3 cups and 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.; 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda.; 1.5 teaspoons of ground ginger.; 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.; 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves.; 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.; 1/2 teaspoon of regular salt.

A cozy display of soft ginger-flavored biscuits, shaped and decorated for the holidays, resting on a wooden table with festive greenery. | cuisinegenial.com

These Gingerbread Cookies turn out wonderfully aromatic, buttery and soft throughout. They've got that perfect mix of sweet and spicy flavors that taste great plain or fancied up with royal icing or buttercream. They're a holiday classic you'll enjoy making just as much as eating!

What Makes These Cookies Special

These Gingerbread Cookies come out soft, packed with flavor and don't need fancy skills to make. They're great for holiday baking and keep their shape when cut out, so they work perfectly for decorating. You can enjoy them plain, dress them up with icing, or make them crunchy – this flexible recipe works for everyone's taste.

What You'll Need for Gingerbread Cookies

All-Purpose Flour: 3 cups, with extra nearby for rolling.
Ground Spices:
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Butter: 3/4 cup, softened.
Dark Brown Sugar: 3/4 cup, packed.
Molasses: 2/3 cup, unsulphured.
Egg: 1 large, room temperature.
Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon.
Salt: 1/4 teaspoon.
Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon.

Simple Steps for Gingerbread Cookies

Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in molasses, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes for soft cookies, or 11-12 minutes for crispier cookies. Cool completely before decorating.
Form Dough: Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 3 hours.
Roll and Cut: Roll chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut with desired cookie cutters and place on lined baking sheets.

A close-up of decorated gingerbread cookies, featuring a smiling gingerbread man surrounded by various shapes, all outlined with white icing. | cuisinegenial.com

Finishing Touches and Keeping Them Fresh

Dress up your gingerbread cookies with royal icing or buttercream to make them look festive. Keep your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and they'll stay good for about 4 days. If you want them to last longer, you can freeze the dough for up to 3 months or bake them extra crispy if you're planning to build gingerbread houses.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why chill the dough before baking?: Putting the dough in the fridge makes it easier to roll out and shape, plus it keeps the cookie shapes sharp during baking.
→ What's the ideal thickness for rolling it out?: Go for about 1/3 inch thick. It keeps the biscuits soft and avoids tough, crunchy ones.
→ Can you freeze them?: You sure can. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap to freeze for 3 months, or seal baked cookies in airtight containers for 2 months.
→ Why unsulfured molasses?: Unsulfured molasses has a smoother flavor without bitterness, giving these cookies their signature rich, sweet taste.
→ How do I know they're ready?: Look for lightly puffed cookies. The edges shouldn't darken. Let them finish setting on the baking sheet for a few minutes after pulling them out.

Conclusion

A holiday classic, these soft, ginger-spiced biscuits blend sweet molasses with warm spices. Cozy up with these festive treats, perfect for decorating or sharing during cheerful get-togethers.

Soft Holiday Biscuits

Ginger-spiced, soft biscuits that balance sweetness and softness perfectly. Perfect for decorating or holiday munching.

Prep Time

140 Minutes

Cook Time

8 Minutes

Total Time

148 Minutes

By: Ferdaous

Category: Breads

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 24 Servings (24 cookies)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 1 cup of room-temperature butter.

02 3/4 cup of tightly packed brown sugar.

03 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

04 1 large egg, beaten.

05 1/4 cup of plain molasses.

06 3 cups and 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

07 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda.

08 1.5 teaspoons of ground ginger.

09 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.

10 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves.

11 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.

12 1/2 teaspoon of regular salt.

Instructions

Step 01

Using a stand mixer, blend softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add molasses, vanilla, and the egg, then mix again. Scrape down the sides and keep blending until smooth.

Step 02

Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually add this mixture to the butter blend on low speed. Scrape everything down, especially the bottom, and stir until you've got an even dough.

Step 03

Shape the dough into a thick round, wrap it well using some plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.

Step 04

Set your oven to 350°F. On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about a third of an inch thick. Use cookie cutters to press out shapes and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Step 05

Pop the cookies in the oven for 7-8 minutes, just until they puff a bit but before the edges turn brown. Let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.

Step 06

Once cooled, decorate the cookies any way you like. Keep them in airtight containers, and they'll stay fresh for around four days.

Notes

Keep sealed in airtight containers for up to 4 days.

Royal icing makes a great decoration option.

Tools You'll Need

A stand mixer.

Various cookie cutters.

A couple of baking sheets.

Parchment for lining.

A wire cooling rack.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.

Contains eggs.
Contains dairy.
Contains wheat.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.

Calories: 166
Total Fat: 8 g
Total Carbohydrate: 22 g
Protein: 2 g