Molasses Cut Out Cookies

These easy and tasty molasses cut out cookies are perfect for the holidays as a party treat, a food gift, or simply to enjoy with a mug of hot chocolate.

They're filled with classic gingerbread flavors and cut into your favorite shapes.

How to make molasses cut out cookies

Featured Ingredients

• Flour: Any all-purpose flour.
• Spices: Specifically cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
• Baking soda: To make them puff up a little.
• Butter: Softened, to be precise.
• Brown sugar and molasses: For that classic gingerbread cookie sweetness.
• Powdered sugar: For dusting.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses, milk.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix together until combined and a dough ball has formed.
5. Dust a few tablespoons of flour on a large cutting board. Place dough on the cutting board and use a rolling pin to roll it out flat to about ¼ inch thickness.
6. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter and cut out about 24 cookies. Place them on the parchment paper, about ½ an inch apart. Bake 8-9 minutes, until set but soft.
7. Let cookies cool, then dust with powdered sugar or decorate with white icing.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

• For the flour: Use any all-purpose flour you have, such as whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, whole wheat white or regular all-purpose (or a mix of any of these).
• For the spices: Adjust the level of cinnamon, ginger and cloves based on your preferences.
• For the butter: Try with coconut oil.
• For the brown sugar: Use dark or light brown sugar, or substitute with a brown sugar substitute such as Stevia or Swerve.

Nutrition Considerations

• To make these gluten free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour.
  • Be sure all ingredients you choose are gluten free.
• To make these dairy free: Use a dairy free milk alternative, such as soy, almond, coconut, cashew, rice, pea or oat.
• To make these vegan: Try with coconut oil, an egg substitute and use a plant-based milk alternative, such as soy, almond, coconut, cashew, rice, pea or oat (although I haven't tested this).
• To make these nut free: These do not contain nuts.
  • Be sure all ingredients are nut free.
• To make these egg free: Try an egg replacer, such as Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer or a flax 'egg' (although I haven't tested this).

For more holiday dessert inspiration:

• White Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Cookies
• Sweet Potato Pie with Maple Whipped Cream
• Winter Citrus & Pomegranate Mascarpone Cups
• Cranberry Pecan Pie Bars
• Cranberry Goat Cheese Stuffed Pears
• Peanut Butter Yogurt Cookies with Dark Chocolate

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