Easy Gingerbread Cookies

Step 1

Set the oven to 350°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished preheating, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and brown sugar, then stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute until the mixture looks lighter in color and slightly fluffy.

Step 3

Pour in the molasses and stir until no brown streaks remain and the mixture is uniform in color, about 30 seconds.

Step 4

In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour, mixed spice blend, and salt until no lumps of spice remain.

Step 5

Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until no flour streaks are visible and a soft dough forms, about 1 minute.

Step 6

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes so the dough becomes easier to scoop.

Step 7

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop or spoon to drop round mounds of dough onto an ungreased sheet pan, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Step 8

Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake until the cookie tops look set and feel slightly firm to a gentle touch, about 12 to 14 minutes.

Step 9

Remove the sheet pan from the oven using oven mitts and set it on a heat-safe surface to cool for 5 minutes.

Step 10

Use a wide metal spatula to slide each cookie off the sheet pan onto a wire cooling rack or clean plate, then allow them to cool completely, about 15 minutes.