Gingerbread cookies

Photo: Once Upon a Chef

Jenn's gingerbread has black pepper and allspice in it, which is why it tastes like more than molasses. Soft in the middle, holds a cutter shape, and the dough keeps for days.

From Jenn Segal at Once Upon a Chef · @onceuponachef

Spiced molasses dough with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and a pinch of black pepper, chilled, rolled, cut and baked until just firm, then iced.

You need

• 2 3/4 cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 6 tbsp unsulphured molasses
• Royal icing, for decorating

How to make it

1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and every spice together in a bowl.
2. Beat the butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the molasses, scraping the bowl.
3. Mix in the flour on low just until combined. Split the dough in two, flatten each into a disc, wrap and chill at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
4. Heat the oven to 350°F with racks in the middle. Line two sheets with parchment.
5. Let a cold disc sit 10 minutes, then roll it 1/4 inch thick on a floured counter. Cut shapes and move them to the sheets 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps once.
6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, swapping the sheets halfway, until the cookies feel just firm. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then on a rack.
7. Ice once completely cool and let the icing set a few hours before stacking.

For a swap: Sturdy. Let the icing dry overnight, then stack with parchment.

Written in our own words from Jenn Segal's recipe, with their quantities. The original: Gingerbread cookies, Once Upon a Chef.

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