Molasses Gingerbread House Cookies
These spiced molasses cookies are perfect for building and decorating gingerbread houses, or for cutting into festive shapes for any holiday.
- Prep40 min
- Cook10 min
- Total50 min
- DifficultyMedium
- Servings4
A classic molasses cookie dough that is sturdy enough for constructing gingerbread houses yet tender and flavorful for eating. The dough chills well and rolls out easily, making it a versatile base for holiday baking.
These cookies carry warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, with a hint of orange zest. They bake up firm around the edges but stay soft inside, ready to be decorated with royal icing or your favorite frosting.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in the molasses and orange zest.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the water, and mix well after each addition until fully combined.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until it is firm enough to handle.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.
- Cut out shapes using a 3.5-inch gingerbread house cookie cutter dipped in flour. If you like, make small windows using very small cutters of various shapes.
- Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are firm. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing or frosting and food coloring as desired.
💡 Tips
- Chilling the dough is essential for easier handling and cleaner cut-out shapes.
- If the dough becomes too soft while rolling, return it to the refrigerator for a few minutes.
- For crispier cookies, bake them a minute or two longer, but watch carefully to avoid over-browning.
Inspired by a recipe from Taste of Home