This gingerbread cookie recipe is perfect for making a low protein gingerbread house and gingerbread men. It is nice and stable, so little hands can decorate without worrying about a head falling off. The molasses binds so well that no egg is needed, so it is a very low and very delicious cookie. Use the royal icing recipe and your cookies will be nicer than those you can buy. Remember, you can make the dough in advance like the roll-out sugar cookies, and store in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. If you are making a gingerbread house or more intricate shapes like a snowflake, after you cut out the shapes, place the uncooked cookies in the fridge or freezer to firm up. You will get much sharper lines.
Gingerbread Cookies
This gingerbread cookie recipe is perfect for making a low protein gingerbread house and gingerbread men. It is nice and stable, so little hands can decorate without worrying about a head falling off. The molasses binds so well that no egg is needed, so it is a very low and very delicious cookie. Use the royal icing recipe and your cookies will be nicer than those you can buy. Remember, you can make the dough in advance like the roll-out sugar cookies, and store in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. If you are making a gingerbread house or more intricate shapes like a snowflake, after you cut out the shapes, place the uncooked cookies in the fridge or freezer to firm up. You will get much sharper lines.
Nutrition
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium sized bowl, combine wheat starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and pudding mix, set aside.
- In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add the butter and shortening. Mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture forms a dough. The dough seems quite dry and crumbly at first. Give it three minutes to see if it comes together. If still too crumbly, add a tablespoon or two of water.
- Divide the dough in half, placing each half in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. With the top unsealed, lightly roll the dough with a rolling pin to 1 inch thick. Refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20 to 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to a month; defrost in refrigerator before using.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 dough disk to even ⅛-inch thickness between 2 large sheets parchment paper; slide rolled dough on parchment onto baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with second disk.
- Using cookie cutters, cut shapes from one piece of dough. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and put in the fridge or freezer to firm up for 15 minutes. Meanwhile start rolling the second piece of dough. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to cookie rack and allow to cool completely
- Decorate with Royal Icing if desired
Notes
Reader Q&A:
Q: Can vanilla pudding mix be used in this recipe rather than chocolate? I have vanilla on hand. Thanks! A: Yup!
Q: Is it half a box of pudding or 48 grams. The chocolate pudding is 110 grams in the box. A: The ingredients run through HMP, so at one point pudding mix must have been 96 gm. Either will work — I go with 55 gm.
Q: Brenda–after cooling the gingerbread cookies were more crispy than soft? My grandson prefers them soft. Any suggestions? A: The recipe is really for a crispy cookie. You can roll thicker and/or cook a little less to make it softer. Also store with a piece of regular bread.
Q: Can vanilla pudding mix be used in this recipe rather than chocolate? I have vanilla on hand. Thanks! A: Yup!
Q: Is it half a box of pudding or 48 grams. The chocolate pudding is 110 grams in the box. A: The ingredients run through HMP, so at one point pudding mix must have been 96 gm. Either will work — I go with 55 gm.
Q: Brenda–after cooling the gingerbread cookies were more crispy than soft? My grandson prefers them soft. Any suggestions? A: The recipe is really for a crispy cookie. You can roll thicker and/or cook a little less to make it softer. Also store with a piece of regular bread.
