Description
Festive winter magic sparkles in these classic gingerbread snowflake cookies, delicately spiced with cinnamon and molasses. Sweet memories dance on your plate, inviting winter celebrations with each carefully decorated snowflake-shaped treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
Spices and Flavoring:
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Decorating Ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- White food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Cream unsalted butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, ensuring smooth incorporation of ingredients.
- Whisk in molasses and egg, blending until the mixture becomes uniform and glossy.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt to eliminate any potential lumps.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a cohesive dough forms without overmixing.
- Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness, using snowflake-shaped cookie cutters to create delicate designs.
- Transfer cut cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers appear set.
- Cool cookies completely on wire racks before decorating.
- Prepare royal icing by whisking powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and optional white food coloring until smooth and piping consistency.
- Use piping bag or squeeze bottle to create intricate snowflake patterns on cooled cookies.
- Allow icing to set completely at room temperature for crisp, elegant finish.
Notes
- Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain intricate snowflake shapes during baking.
- Use fresh ground spices for maximum flavor intensity and aromatic depth in the gingerbread cookies.
- Roll dough between parchment paper sheets to prevent sticking and ensure uniform thickness without additional flour.
- Opt for low-moisture butter at room temperature for smoother creaming and better cookie texture.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg