Description

A classic holiday favorite that works at high altitude! These soft, super-spicy High Altitude Gingerbread Cookies are delicious iced or plain.

Ingredients

Scale

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 TB ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (12 TB, 1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg plus one yolk, at room temperature
1 TB vanilla extract (not imitation)
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg and yolk, then the molasses; beat on medium speed for a few seconds until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla and orange zest. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the flour/spice mixture a little at a time until the dough is uniform and is beginning to come together in large clumps.
The dough will be slightly crumbly at this point. Turn it out onto a counter or large cutting board and knead it a few times with your hands until it begins to come together in a large, soft ball. Divide the dough into two halves and shape each into a ball, then press into a thick disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow to soften slightly. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a large, flat surface, place another sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Place the dough on the floured sheet and roll it out to 1/4-inch thickness (if you want crispier cookies, roll the dough a bit thinner). You may have to muscle the dough a bit at first until it softens and becomes more pliable.
Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and carefully transfer the cookies to the parchment-lined baking sheet (I use a thin, flexible spatula for this). The cookies won’t spread much, so you can place them fairly close together. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until they look slightly puffed on top. I take them out at 8 minutes because I like them softer; if you prefer a slightly crispier cookie, leave them in the full 10.
Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a baking rack. Once they’re completely cool, dust the cookies with powdered sugar, dip in melted chocolate, or decorate with icing and sprinkles.
Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Notes

… The type of molasses you use matters. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which has a powerfully bitter flavor that’s not ideal in these cookies. Instead, look for the label “original unsulphured” or “light” molasses.

… After cutting out your cookie shapes, feel free to gather up the scraps and roll the dough out again, but resist the temptation to re-roll more than two or three times, or your cookies will be tough.