Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe and Choosing Simplicity

I have always loved to bake and my 16 year old daughter seems to have developed my passion for it, as well.  She came to me last week and asked if we could make gingerbread cookies together.  I am thrilled that she wants to spend time with me, however, I admit that making gingerbread cookies has always intimidated me.  All that rolling out of dough and decorating of dozens of little men.  But, I told her to find an easy gingerbread cookie recipe on Pinterest and we would give it a try.  I’m glad I did.  Not only are they a delicious Christmas cookie but I also learned a good lesson in choosing simplicity to reduce stress!

Making EASY Gingerbread Cookies 

This easy gingerbread cookie recipe is honestly very simple.  Real butter, loads of spices, and my favorite molasses all blend together for a rich, delicious flavor.  Just mix, chill, roll, and use your favorite cookie cutters.  After baking on parchment paper, you will have a seriously scrumptious homemade cookie.  Where does the simplicity come in?  When I asked my daughter how she wanted to decorate them… well, she DIDN’T!  All she wanted was for us to make them together and eat them straight out of the oven. 

Choosing Simplicity

My cookie making experience got me to thinking. I stressed out about making gingerbread cookies for so long because I was trying to live up to some Pinterest worthy creation.  Frosting, buttons, and colorful eyes don’t make the cookie taste any better. In fact, I often find that too much frosting detracts from the simplicity of the cookie itself. 

Making homemade cookies is certainly a lot easier when you aren’t trying to live up to the perfection you often find online.  So, we skipped the fancy decorating and just gave it a sprinkle of powdered sugar! This easy gingerbread cookie recipe is delicious, whether you decorate it or not.  If you are looking for more easy holiday recipes, try my whole wheat cranberry bread recipe as well. 

More Easy Cookie Recipes

• Cranberry Shortbread Cookie Recipe with Orange Zest
• Lavender Shortbread Cookies
• Easy Chocolate Crinkles Christmas Cookie Recipe

Gingerbread Cookie Tips

Honestly, these gingerbread cookies are incredibly simple but I thought I would share a few tips to get you started:

• Make sure you use REAL butter and that it is completely at room temperature.  We left ours out overnight to make sure it was completely softened.
• Make sure the dough is completely chilled before rolling.  3 hours is a minimum.  Overnight might be even better.
• Use lots of flour when rolling, both on the cutting board and on the rolling pin.  Make sure you also flour the cookie cutters.  
• Bake on parchment paper or a silicone mat.  They will be fragile when they first come out of the oven so let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 or 10 minutes.  

Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

If you are looking for a simple holiday treat, don’t discount gingerbread cookies.  Just because they are so very over the top on Pinterest, doesn’t mean you can’t just skip all the fanfare and enjoy a naked cookie.  The same goes for the rest of your holiday preparations as well,  Learn to enjoy a glass of homemade eggnog by the fire instead of throwing a huge holiday bash for 100 of your closest friends.  Sure, parties and fanfare are nice but they really just add a lot of stress to our lives as well!

Yield: 2 dozen

Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Print

A simple and flavorful easy gingerbread cookie recipe. No need for decorations or tons of stress. Start choosing simplicity. Roll, bake, and eat!

Prep Time 4 hours

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup brown sugar, tightly packed
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar. Beat until well creamed together.
2. Add molasses and beat until combined.
3. Mix in egg and vanilla
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices
5. On low speed, mix dry ingredients into wet ones until completely combined
6. Scrape dough onto plastic wrap and form into a ball. Wrap completely and chill 3 hours to overnight.
7. To make cookies, preheat oven to 375 degrees
8. Flour a large cutting board and your rolling pin
9. Divide dough in half and roll about 1/4 inch thick
10. Cut out with cookie cutters and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet
11. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Edges should look dry and just starting to brown
12. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes
13. Transfer to wire wrack and cool completely.
14. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
15. Right before serving, dust with powdered sugar if desired

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 116Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information not always accurate