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Soft Ginger Molasses Cut-Out Cookies for Halloween

Close-up of spooky ginger molasses cookies shaped like jack-o'-lanterns, perfect for Halloween.
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Bake soft, flavorful ginger molasses cookies that hold their shape for decorating. Perfect for a festive Halloween treat, these cookies are designed to be cut out and iced into cute ghost shapes.

Ingredients

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  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the Royal Icing:
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/4 cup water (plus more as needed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Black food coloring (for ghost eyes)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters (like ghosts, pumpkins, or bats) to cut out shapes.
  8. Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them.
  9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. While the cookies cool, prepare the royal icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder.
  11. Add the water and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 5-7 minutes, until stiff peaks form. If the icing is too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
  12. Divide the icing into two bowls. Leave one white for the ghost bodies. Tint the other bowl with black food coloring for the eyes.
  13. Transfer the white icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Outline the ghost cookies and then fill them in. Let the icing set slightly.
  14. Use a small amount of black icing to pipe eyes onto the ghost cookies.
  15. Let the icing dry completely before storing the cookies in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is crucial for cut-out cookies to prevent spreading and maintain sharp edges.
  • For perfectly smooth icing, use a scribe tool or toothpick to gently spread the icing and pop any air bubbles.
  • Store decorated cookies in a single layer to prevent the icing from smudging.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishcraze.com/ginger-molasses-cookies/