Gingerbread Cookies

Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Yield: 24 four-inch cookies

Ingredients:

3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger (yes, 1 full Tablespoon!)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
10 Tablespoons (2/3 cup) unsalted butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2/3 cup unsulphured or dark molasses
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium high speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Next, beat in egg and vanilla on high speed for 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick and slightly sticky. Divide dough in half and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap each up tightly and pat down to create a disc shape. Chill discs for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove 1 disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator and set it out for up to an hour. Generously flour a work surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin. Roll out disc until 1/4-inch thick. Cut into shapes. Place shapes 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll dough scraps until all the dough is shaped.
Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes. If your cookie cutters are smaller than 4 inches, bake for about 8 minutes. If your cookie cutters are larger than 4 inches, bake for about 11 minutes. Keep in mind that the longer the cookies bake, the harder and crunchier they’ll be. For soft gingerbread cookies, follow my suggested bake times.
Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate as desired.
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked and decorated (or not decorated) cookies freeze well – up to three months.
Unbaked cookie dough discs (just the dough prepared through step 3) freeze well up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then continue with step 4.

Adapted from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-gingerbread-cookies/print/71005/