sugar cookies recipe

There’s something so special about the warm, spicy smell of gingerbread filling your kitchen. This recipe makes a sturdy, flavorful dough that’s perfect for cutting into shapes and holds every detail. They’re soft, a little chewy, and full of classic holiday flavor.

Let’s make the best gingerbread cookies you've ever had!

Cream together until light and fluffy:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup molasses (not blackstrap!)

Add & mix well:

1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sprinkle over the wet ingredients and mix in:

1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves (optional, but classic!)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Slowly add in:

4 ½ - 5 cups all-purpose flour (Add until the dough is no longer sticky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You may not need all 5 cups!)

Refrigerate overnight (or up to a week) or freeze for an hour (or 1 month). This step is NON-NEGOTIABLE for flavor and to let the flour hydrate! It makes rolling so much easier.

Roll out COOL dough on a floured surface. Roll to about ¼-inch thickness for a soft, chewy cookie.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes, until the centers look set. I bake on Parchment paper.

Completely cool on the baking sheet before icing. They will firm up as they cool.

WARM DOUGH WON'T HOLD SHAPE!!! The spices need time to meld and the dough needs to be firm. Make sure it's cool!

Simple Royal Icing for Decorating

Guessing on amounts since I don’t measure, but this is a great starting point!

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoon meringue powder (this makes it set hard, perfect for stacking)
6-8 tablespoon warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Consistency is key. Start with 6 tablespoon of water and mix for a few minutes until it's thick and smooth. For outlining, you want it like soft-peak whipped cream. To "flood" and fill the shapes, thin it out with a few drops of water at a time until it's the consistency of syrup.
Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. Too thick? Add TINY amounts of water.

Why You'll Love These Gingerbread Cookies

The Perfect Spice Blend: Warm, comforting, and not too spicy. They smell like the holidays!
Sturdy for Cutting: Holds the shape of even the most detailed cookie cutters.
Soft & Chewy Texture: Unlike crunchy gingerbread, these stay soft for days.
Make-Ahead Dream: The dough lasts forever in the fridge or freezer, so you can bake a batch whenever the mood strikes.

Pro-Tips for the Best Cookies

✔ Don't over-bake! They should look just set on top. Over-baking makes them hard.
✔ Use room temperature ingredients for the best, smoothest dough.
✔ Chill your rolled-out dough for 10 minutes before cutting for even sharper shapes.
✔ Decorating with kids? Use the powdered sugar glaze from your original recipe—it's delicious and no-raw-egg worries!

How to Store Them

Decorated Cookies: Layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Dough: In the fridge for a week, or well-wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Final Thought: This is my go-to, no-fail gingerbread recipe. It’s simple, uses pantry staples, and gives you that classic, nostalgic flavor that everyone loves. Perfect for your cookie trays, tree decorations, or just a cozy baking day!

Happy Baking! 😊