Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• ¾ packed cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum; plus more to flour work surface)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Steps

1. 1

   Add softened butter and brown sugar to stand mixer bowl (or large mixing bowl). Using stand mixer (or hand mixer), mix ingredients together on low speed 30 seconds, then increase speed to medium. Continue mixing 1 to 3 minutes, until ingredients are creamed. Mixture should be fully combined, light, and fluffy. Note: Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing will make mixture greasy and soupy. If you overmix, discard mixture and start again.

2. 2

   Once butter and sugar are creamed, pause mixer and crack egg directly into mixing bowl. Add vanilla extract and molasses, then resume mixing on low speed. Mix until ingredients are just combined, approximately 1 minute.

3. 3

   Sift flour through sifter and directly into medium mixing bowl, making sure any clumps are broken up. Once flour is smooth, add baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Whisk dry ingredients together to incorporate.

4. 4

   While mixing on low speed, slowly pour flour mixture into butter mixture, adding dry ingredients in gradual increments and mixing well between each addition. Once entire flour mixture has been added, mix on low until thick cookie dough forms.

5. 5

   When ingredients are fully combined into thick cookie dough, cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap or lid and place bowl in refrigerator. Chill dough at least 2 hours and no more than 3 days.

6. 6

   Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper and set baking sheet aside. Cover large section of kitchen counter or similar flat area with light layer of flour. Lightly flour rolling pin.

7. 7

   Remove mixing bowl from refrigerator and transfer chilled dough to floured surface. Roll dough into evenly flat sheet approximately ½-inch thick. Add flour to rolling pin as needed, being careful not to add too much.

8. 8

   Use cookie cutters to cut sheet of dough into shapes. Carefully lift cookies off parchment paper and transfer to baking sheet. Place cookies approximately ½ to 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Repeat process of rolling dough and cutting shapes until dough is completely cut.

9. 9

   Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake cookies 10 minutes, then check doneness. Continue baking 1 to 4 minutes as needed until cookie edges are firm and the centers are just set.

10. 10

    Carefully remove baking sheet from oven. Let cookies rest on baking sheet 5 minutes, then carefully transfer cookies to wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Serve gingerbread cookies plain, or decorate cooled gingerbread cookies as desired.