Molasses-Gingerbread Cookies

Rating: 3.03 stars
134 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 21
  • 4 star values: 17
  • 3 star values: 54
  • 2 star values: 29
  • 1 star values: 13

These cookies have a dark color and a pronounced molasses flavor. If you are making the Gingerbread Town-Square Cake, you can use this template to trace and cut out the different townhouse shapes. 

Martha Stewart Living, December 2007

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

Yield:
Makes about 2 dozen town houses, 4 dozen deer or trees, or 6 dozen men
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.

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  • Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Divide dough into 3 portions, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a generously floured piece of parchment, roll dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Brush off excess flour. Slide dough and parchment onto baking sheets, and freeze for 15 minutes.

  • Cut out desired shapes. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, and freeze for 15 minutes.

  • Bake cookies for 6 minutes. Remove sheets from oven, and tap them firmly on counter to flatten cookies. Return to oven, rotating sheets, and bake until crisp but not darkened, 6 to 8 minutes more. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

  • Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain round tip (such as Ateco #0 or #1). Pipe designs on cookies. Let cookies stand at room temperature until set, at least 2 hours (preferably overnight).

Cook's Notes

Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

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Reviews (19)

134 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 21
  • 4 star values: 17
  • 3 star values: 54
  • 2 star values: 29
  • 1 star values: 13
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/18/2013
The recipe itself is calling for less flour and more molasses with the addition of nutmeg and exclusion of ground black pepper compared to a basic gingerbread recipe posted awhile back http://www.marthastewart.com/856801/basic-gingerbread-cookies?autonomy_kw=gingerbread+men&rsc=header_5 This recipe called for 6 cups of flour to 1 cup of molasses. Consistency and texture was perfect. So do take note. Add more ground ginger and optional freshly squeezed ginger juice and chilli powder for a kick
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/13/2008
Looks like a good recipe.... I am so glad I found one without shortening. Just I wish it would tell you how many gingerbread houses it would make... I am following instructions from a magazine to make a house and I want some extra dough to make men, etc. If anyone knows, please tell me!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/01/2008
As of 5:52 PM November 1st there is no recipe with the Molasses-Gingerbread Cookies. Please, remedy this.
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Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
06/20/2008
I'm now nervous about taking this recipe on as we live in Iowa and I have not, as yet, gotten used to the humidity vs. cooking--we are from California. I wish there was a way for "Dkaye" to share her recipe with me, although she posted her comment clear back in Dec.--csadrbls@hotmail.com (Vicki Robles) Thank you.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
01/15/2008
Sticky dough can be lightly packed into a loaf-shaped pan or plastic container, chilled, and sliced 1/2 " thick with a thin metal pancake turner. Roll out the slice gently on a floured pastry cloth and flour the top of the dough and the roller. This prevents the butter from melting in your hands and the flour from toughening! Good luck! Sue.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/27/2007
these cookies were delicious. I added an extra half cup of flour(to compensate for south florida humidity) and chilled over night. then just roll out quickly cut and remove as you cut . if you wait until all cookies are cut they stick together
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Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/27/2007
This molasses-gingerbread was great! I highly encourage that folks use the freshly grated nutmeg. It really does make a difference. :)
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/26/2007
I also had an extremely sticky gingerbread cookie dough! Very dissapointing! I made this for the gingerbread cheesecake and was barely able to salvage any for the crust and cookie decor. Martha really needs to test her recipes before publishing. I wasted money and two days of baking as well! See post for cheesecake.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/20/2007
After reading others comment on stickiness, I thought it seemed like too much molasses, so I reduced it to 1 cup, and made the flour 5 cups. I kept all other measurements the same and they were perfect. Make sure to chill your dough well and keep flouring the board as you go. I usually roll several strokes then run my hand under it, lift and toss flour under and sprinkle some on top before rolling more. Also, I used brown sugar instead of white. We had a lot of fun making these.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/20/2007
The previous reviews almost scared me out of making this delicious cookie, but as one reviewer stated, you only need to add a little extra flour until the mixture takes on a perferable dough quality. Maybe Martha created this recipe while in her Arizona house, because I needed to add almost an extra 1/2 cup of flour, but the recipe was easy to work with and looks and tastes great. I'm very happy I decided to take the adventure on.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/18/2007
after reading all these reviews i just added a few extra tablespoons of flour during mixing and they came out perfect.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/15/2007
Although it does have good flavor, this dough is too unmanageable and sticky to make it worth it. I want the last two days of my life back.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/14/2007
My friend and I were making a gingerbread house last night with this same recipe, and I agree. It is quite sticky. I think I'll add more flour next time. Smells sooo good though.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/13/2007
For those of you who had difficulty with this recipe being too sticky, you can always try adding more flour. Remember, recipes work differently in different parts of the country, with different levels of humidity, temperature, etc.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/06/2007
I'm going to try the extra freezer time...but something is wrong with the recipe for sure...too sticky...even on the paper...I've wasted a lot of ing. as I made up two batches initially....going back to my traditional recipe.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/02/2007
They did taste good but I agree with the other user they were hard to work with. I added extra freeze time and got them to work but the first batch sure was hard to deal with.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/01/2007
i love these, they are so yummy and they look awsome.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/28/2007
made this last night and it was great, could not keep family out of the kitchen this will be my recipe every year to use for our cookies and our gingerbread house. thankyou Martha for this. Bree
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/23/2007
This is a horrible recipe. I added extra freeze time and still ended up with unrecognizable blobs instead of Gingerbread Men. Great flavor, but horrible to work with. Will not use again.
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