Gingerbread Cookies

Delight in the warm and cozy flavors of these homemade gingerbread cookies. They're perfect for the holiday season or anytime you crave a spicy-sweet treat.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg

In another bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms

Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 350F 175C and line baking sheets with parchment paper

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness

Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets

Gather the scraps, re-roll the dough, and cut out more shapes

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely

Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can decorate them with icing if desired