A classic recipe for gingerbread cookies made with molasses and brown sugar. They're perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and decorated with royal icing.

Overhead image of a plate of gingerbread cookies with holiday lights, sprinkles and a piping bag

The origin of my gingerbread recipe

Like most classic cookie recipes, this one is a hand-me-down. This is the same gingerbread recipe my Mom has made for years in preparation for our annual holiday cookie decorating extravaganza. Check out our 2016 cookie party to get a flavor for the way we celebrate cookies in our family.

Overhead image of a variety of gingerbread cookies decorated with white royal icing

The Steps

This is a straightforward recipe without a lot of complication. Follow the measurements and instructions and it should be smooth sailing for your holiday cookie party.

Make the Dough
Divide the Dough and Chill It
Roll It
Cut It
Bake It
Decorate It

Why Divide?

Why divide the dough in step 2? It's easier to work with a smaller dough ball when rolling it out in step 3. This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so dividing the dough in two makes it easier to work with.

I remove the dough from the mixer and cut it in half. Next I roll up each half into a ball and flatten them into a thick disk. Then I wrap each disk in plastic wrap before putting them in the refrigerator.

Chill It

One important thing to note about this recipe is that you need to make the dough and then chill it sufficiently before heading to the rolling and cookie cutter stage. This is a recipe that requires you to do a little planning ahead.

Gingerbread needs to chill for at least an hour (or up to three days). During the chill, proteins in the flour start to form and bond, helping the dough to hold together and firm up. This will make rolling out your dough so much easier and help avoid a crumbly dough.

Baking the Gingerbread

I find most cookie cutter cookies to be a little temperamental when it comes to the baking stage. 325F is the perfect temp for these cookies. I double check the accuracy of my oven by placing an oven thermometer inside.

Part of where things get tricky in baking is based on how thick or thin you roll your dough and the consistency you're going for in the final cookies. I roll mine to a little less than a quarter-inch thickness so that it's a little crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

But, to achieve that balance, you have to keep an eye on these little buggers and pull them just before they start to darken. I find 8 minutes to be perfect for my taste. If you want them crunchier, then roll them thinner or bake them a few minutes longer.

Keep an eye on that temp and don't let them go too long or you'll get singed edges. This is especially true on cookie shapes that are more delicate like stars and my favorite chili peppers.

The Icing

This icing recipe was snagged from my third-grade class. My Mom was helping on the day we decorated gingerbread houses at my school and discovered that this was the perfect gingerbread icing.

She was in love with this icing recipe because, like good royal icing, it dries hard. You can create all sorts of beautiful designs with your piping tips and it will hold its form.

The only thing to note is that the consistency of the icing is key. You want it thick enough to hold the form of the tip you're using for piping. But, you also don't want it too thick that it won't come smoothly out of the piping bag. If you need a little more thickness, add a little more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until you get the proper consistency.

Gingerbread boys on a grey plate with silver sprinkles and sparkle lights in the background

Piping Bags & Tips

As for piping bags, tips and couplers, I've always been into Wilton products. They're easy to find and come in a wide assortment of shapes and sizes. I typically go with the 16'' piping bags.

If you decide to add color to your icing, I recommend Wilton's gel colors. They are vibrant and they won't water down the consistency of your icing.