Ingredients

• 3 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• OR Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
• ¾ cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp Ginger
• ¾ tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Cloves
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¾ cup Butter, softened slightly
• ¾ cup Unsulphured Molasses
• 2 Tbsp Milk

• 1 Egg White (or the equivalent Meringue Powder prepared according to package directions, or Aquafaba)
• ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• Food Coloring, if desired

Instructions

1. In a food processor or mixer with the paddle attachment combine flour, brown sugar, spices and salt. Add butter and pulse or mix until the mixture resembles sand.
2. With the processor or mixer running, add molasses and milk until the dough is evenly moistened. Shape dough into two discs, wrap tightly in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Remove one disc from the refrigerator. Roll between two pieces of parchment paper to about ⅛-inch thickness, carefully removing and replacing the parchment paper as needed to reduce sticking (if using all-purpose flour, skip the parchment paper).
4. Cut into desired shapes but leave the cookies and excess dough on the parchment paper. Chill while repeating with the second piece of dough.
5. After both pieces of dough have been rolled, cut and chilled, carefully remove the cutout cookies from the parchment sheets using a flat spatula and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. The scraps can be rerolled and chilled for more cookies.
6. Bake the cookies until the centers are firm, 15–20 minutes, rotating the sheets about halfway through the baking time. Let cool completely before decorating.
7. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the royal icing. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg white and vanilla extract until frothy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix on low until shiny (add any food coloring as desired at this time). Increase the mixer to high and beat until stiff and glossy, about 5–7 minutes. Decorate cooled cookies as desired.