These warm gingerbread cookies truly signal the start of a holiday season in my home. The aroma of the spices and coziness of an oven makes for the perfect kickoff for this festive time of year.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg

Instructions:

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves and nutmeg.
2. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.
3. After mixing about 2 minutes, add in the egg and molasses.
4. Mix until well-combined and then slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
5. Divide dough in fourths and chill for at least an hour. Overnight is even better! Freezer is good option too. The goal is for this dough to get cold.
6. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Roll out one section of dough at a time on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes.
8. Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes, rotating about halfway through. Look for slightly dark edges.
9. Let cookies cool completely before decorating.

A Few Quick Tips:

1. Because it’s best to work quickly with this dough, and keep it cold, save little hands and kiddo help for after the baking process. Move quickly to keep spread at a minimum.

2. Dividing the dough in sections will help keep things totally chill. If you find scraps starting to get very soft, toss them back in the fridge and pull another section.

3. This gingerbread is simple and easy, but it does require the wait time. If you have little hands that are ready to work, get my no-chill sugar cookie recipe!