Gingerdoodle Cut-Out Cookie Recipe

'Tis the season for cozy sweaters, crackling fireplaces, and the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies wafting through the air. But what if we told you that you could take your traditional holiday cookie game to the next level? Say hello to the gingerdoodle cut-out cookie—a delightful fusion of two classic favorites that will leave your taste buds dancing with joy.

These cookies are the perfect combination of spiced gingerbread and the sweet, cinnamon-sugar goodness that snickerdoodles are famous for. But we're taking it a step further by transforming these delightful treats into cut-out cookies, perfect for decorating and sharing the holiday spirit with your loved ones.

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Gingerdoodle Cut-Out Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 ½ - 4 cups all-purpose flour

For rolling:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

Step 1    

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2      

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium setting. Mix until light and fluffy.

Step 3  

Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until it is all well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Step 4

Next add in salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

Step 5

On low speed, at a cupful at a time, slowly mix the flour into the wet mixture. After everything is well mixed, the dough should be non-greasy to the touch and pulls cleanly from the bowl. If the dough is still sticky after 3 ½ cups of flour, add an extra ¼ cup of flour.

Step 6

Roll to desired thickness (I like 5/16th inches) between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. (Using my Joseph Joseph rolling pin is a life-saver because the guides take the guesswork out of getting the correct thickness.) After rolling, chill the dough for at least an hour.

Step 7

Once the dough is well chilled and hard to the touch, cut out shapes and place them on a bed of the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat the bottom. Transfer the cookie cutout (coated side down) to a parchment-lined, light-colored baking sheet. Chill the cutout shapes again before baking.

Step 8

Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven when the top surface of the cookies look matte with no shine. Leave the cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.

This recipe makes about 2 dozen 3-inch gingerdoodle cut-out cookies. When it's time to decorate, these cookies would pair nicely with traditional royal icing flavored with orange extract.

The bottom of these cookies have a delicious caramelized cinnamon crush, while the insides of the cookie is left soft and chewy. You could totally coat both the top and bottoms of the cookie for a more snickerdoodle feel. However, I like to leave the tops uncoated so it's a smooth surface for decorating with royal icing.

If you're looking for more recipe ideas to try, check out this link for more delicious recipes for cut-out cookies.