One of my favorite holiday traditions has fast become baking Gingerbread cookies with my girls.There’s something so soothing about piping a clean white icing onto the sweet smelling little guys. It gets me all nostalgic every year.
Plus, not having to mess with food coloring for the frosting just makes it all so much simpler.
Aaaaand… I love getting creative with their wardrobe. I mean, if you can’t have fun with your gingerbread bois, are you even living?!
So alas, I’m here today to share my gingerbread bois with you, and their hella yummy recipe. I’m linking to my icing recipe as well so you can make some super easy and simple royal icing (no fancy ingredients required) to deck their duds out too!
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Some of my tips and tricks before you get started!
Something about a stand mixer makes cookie dough so much easier to make. Everything mixes together so flawlessly. We have thisKitchenAid Artisan. Nothing too large or fancy. It’s the perfect size and works great for every mixing situation we encounter in our home.
I always recommend sifting your dry ingredients together. This ensures your spices and baking soda are evenly distributed throughout your dough (which is pretty important).
If you don’t have cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in your pantry stash, you can sub all three of those ingredients with 3/4 teaspoon Allspice. Whatever works for you, works for me!
IMPORTANT NOTE :: Before rolling out your dough, dust your surface generously. Gingerbread Bois dough can be rather sticky, even after chilling. I pat my dough into a disc, then lightly dust the top and bottom surface with flour before setting it onto my floured counter for rolling. I also like to get my rolling pin a bit sticky with dough, and then generously dust her with flour first, for an easier roll out. This recipe works so well because the sticky dough results in a SOFT, CHEWY Gingerbread Boi. So don’t be discouraged by the stick factor. And don’t be afraid to use flour for your roll outs!
When making cookies, use an AirBake cookie sheet. These make cookie baking a breeze; always an even bake on all your cookies. If you’ve never used an AirBake sheet, girl, go get yourself one. YOU DESERVE THIS LUXURY IN YOUR LIFE!
I always cool my cookies onstackable cooling racks. And I even frost them there too! They work so great for standing independently to frost. And I love that once I’m done frosting, I can stack them up. My cookies can still lay out while the icing hardens (which takes forever), but I get my kitchen counter space back.
Gingerbread Bois, I mean Cookies
Yeilds: one dozen 5″ gingerbread bois, or more smaller bois, depending on your cutouts!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup dark molasses
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 1/2 cups flour
Directions
- Beat together sugar, softened butter, molasses and water in a large mixing bowl on low speed until blended.
- Beat same mixture on a medium speed for 1 minute.
- In a separate bowl, combine salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and flour and sift.
- Add dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and mix until dough forms.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Dust your rolling surface with flour generously. Also dust your rolling pin.
- Roll dough out with rolling pin until 1/4 inch thick. Cut out your desired shapes.
- Place cookies on a cookie sheet, and bake until done, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove cookies from oven, let cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
- Once cooled, ice out your Gingerbread Bois with the best royal icing recipe ever, found here.
That’s it, my pals. I hope you love your Bois as much as we do! Please comment with your feedback or any questions you may have. And have fun decorating!
xoxo
Amy
Published by Amy Eilers
Amy is a wife + mom of four who loves to tell herself that she has the cure to all the daily woes of motherhood (Ha! If only). Amy's loves to share what works for her family, and what most definitely does not!View all posts by Amy Eilers
FAQs
Choose unsulfured molasses when possible, since sulfur dioxide can leave an unpleasant, chemical-like aftertaste, according to Smith. “Unsulfured molasses is derived from processed mature sugar cane,” she said. “It's rich in flavor with a smoky depth. The most natural.
What country is gingerbread from? ›
According to Rhonda Massingham Hart's Making Gingerbread Houses, the first known recipe for gingerbread came from Greece in 2400 BC. Chinese recipes were developed during the 10th century and by the late Middle Ages, Europeans had their own version of gingerbread.
What does the gingerbread man symbolize? ›
One theory holds that since the "men" are really more toddler-shaped than adult, they came to represent the baby Jesus at Christmas. And the spices involved are sometimes thought to represent the exotic gifts of the Magi.
Does gingerbread cookies taste like ginger? ›
It will be pretty much a heavy chunk of heavenly smelling dough that can easily divided to chill. Also with as much ginger this recipe calls for, keep in mind even after baking these cookies will have a strong ginger flavor which is great for gingerbread cookie lovers like myself, but be prepared for the non-fans.
Why can t you use blackstrap molasses in gingerbread cookies? ›
Blackstrap Molasses
Though it's ideal for savory foods such as barbecue sauces and stews, Bourdon cautioned against choosing blackstrap for cookies. “Please avoid this dark and bitter molasses for your baking recipes,” she said. “It will make your cookies dry and quite frankly inedible.
Can I use blackstrap molasses instead of regular molasses in gingerbread cookies? ›
Answer: You wouldn't use blackstrap molasses in recipes for gingerbread because the taste is too intense. It would overwhelm the other flavors.
What are the three types of gingerbread? ›
The three distinct types of gingerbread are brown gingerbread, wafer-based gingerbread and honey gingerbread.
- BROWN GINGERBREAD.
- WAFER GINGERBREAD.
- HONEY GINGERBREAD.
Pierniki - the famous ginger spiced cookies that hail from Poland's medieval city of Toruń, have a history that is well over 700 years old! Because of its long-upheld tradition, Polish gingerbread has become a symbol of the city, famous not only all over Poland but also recognized all over the world!
Where is the best gingerbread in the world? ›
Victorian cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854 in the English Lake District village from where it gets its name. A unique, spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake, its reputation quickly spread and it is now enjoyed by food lovers all over the world.
What is the fairy tale about gingerbread? ›
In the 1875 St. Nicholas tale, a childless old woman bakes a gingerbread man, who leaps from her oven and runs away. The woman and her husband give chase, but are unable to catch him. The gingerbread man then outruns several farm workers, farm men, and farm animals.
Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 by an Armenian monk. Through the 17th century, gingerbread was used for religious ceremonies. In the late 17th century, gingerbread became associated with Christmas. Russian bakers prepared gingerbread men and women, usually as replicas of those people attending parties.
What are some fun facts about gingerbread cookies? ›
5 Things You Might Not Know About Gingerbread
- Originally gingerbread was made with honey and breadcrumbs. ...
- Queen Elizabeth once served her guests miniature gingerbread versions of themselves. ...
- Children could learn the alphabet using gingerbread letters. ...
- Queen Victoria enjoyed sharing gingerbread with her dog.
The deep, caramel-like sweetness of molasses pairs perfectly with the warm spices of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, creating the iconic flavor profile of these classic treats. The choice of molasses over other sweeteners adds a depth and complexity that elevates gingerbread to a cherished holiday tradition.
Can I use golden syrup instead of molasses? ›
Golden Syrup
With its golden, amber color, it is lighter than molasses, though the two are similar in their thickness. Golden syrup also a liquid sweetener, so 1 cup of golden syrup can replace 1 cup of molasses. Golden syrup has a unique flavor, so it may alter the flavor of your recipe slightly.
Should gingerbread cookies be soft or crunchy? ›
First, the texture of the cookie needs to be fairly crispy along the outside with a semi-soft, cake-like inside, and like all "perfect" cut-out cookies, they definitely need to keep their shape when baked. Secondly, they must taste sweet but notably spicy, and have a rich molasses flavour.
What kind of molasses do you use for cookies? ›
How to use it: This is the most commonly sold molasses, mostly used in baking. Light molasses helps to make cookies softer and bread crustier, and it can also be used in marinades and sauces.
Is mild or full flavor molasses for gingerbread? ›
Dark Molasses
It's darker and thicker the light variety, with a deeper, richer flavor that hints at bitterness. It's not quite as sweet, but it's also not as bitter as blackstrap molasses. It's a good option for people looking for a sweetener with reduced sugar content, and it makes an incredible gingerbread.
What type of molasses is best for baking? ›
Light molasses is the liquid that remains after the first white sugar is extracted from cane juice. The flavor is lighter and has more fruity notes to it, in the same way the first pressing of olives makes a lighter, fruitier olive oil. Light (sometimes called "fancy") molasses is ideal for baked goods and candies.
Is Grandma's Original molasses light or dark? ›
Grandma's Molasses comes in two grades: Original and Robust. Original molasses: amber color, used to sweeten hot cereals, yogurts or hot drinks (like coffee, tea or cocoa).
