Use only a tablespoon of molasses; more liquid would blur the embossed pattern and soften the shortbread structure.
A restrained blend of ginger, cinnamon and molasses turns sturdy rolled shortbread into crisp holiday cutouts with embossed tops.
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Gingerbread Embossed Shortbread Cutouts Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- mixer
- rolling pin
- parchment
- cookie cutters
- embossing stamp
- baking sheets
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Prepare the ingredients: Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth; mix in molasses.
Make the dough or filling
- Make the dough or filling: Add flour, spices and salt and mix just until a dough forms.
Chill the dough
- Chill the dough: Roll between parchment to 1/4 inch and chill 35 minutes.
Chill the dough
- Chill the dough: Cut 24 shapes, emboss each with a floured cookie stamp, and chill the cutouts 10 minutes.
Bake and set
- Bake and set: Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 16–19 minutes until set at the edges; cool on the tray.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Roll between parchment to prevent extra flour from toughening the dough.
Technique & texture
Press the stamp straight down and lift vertically to keep the impression crisp.
Finishing & serving
The cookies firm as they cool, so remove them when the centers look dry rather than dark.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | up to 7 days | Airtight at room temperature up to 7 days. |
| Refrigeration | As described | Refrigeration is unnecessary for the baked cookies. |
| Raw freezing | up to 1 month | Freeze the dough disk up to 1 month. thaw overnight before rolling. |
| Baked freezing | up to 2 months | Freeze baked cutouts up to 2 months before icing. |
| Restoring | As described | Thaw uncovered. decorate only after fully dry and at room temperature. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 24 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these soft gingerbread cookies?
No; they are crisp, buttery shortbread with a modest gingerbread spice profile.
Why chill after stamping?
A short second chill helps the embossed lines survive baking.
Can I decorate with icing?
A thin icing line works after cooling, though it will cover part of the embossed detail.
