Pale Gingerbread Cookies

https://arinaphotography.com/pale-gingerbread-cookies/

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Chilling: 1

Total Time: 1 25

Servings: Cookies

Calories: 148kcal

Begin by measuring and preparing all the ingredients. Having everything ready ensures a smooth baking process from start to finish.
In a glass mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt. Make sure the ingredients are fully combined and evenly distributed, then set the bowl aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully blended. Set this bowl aside for later.
In the bowl of your kitchen mixer, add the room-temperature unsalted butter and sugar. Using the paddle attachment, cream them together on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Then, add the egg and maple syrup mixture. Mix on medium speed until smooth and fully incorporated.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in thirds, mixing on low speed after each addition. Continue mixing until a smooth, slightly firm dough forms. The dough should hold together well but not feel sticky.
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Place each portion on a piece of food wrap, loosely wrap, and then press into flat disks. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour. Chilling firms the dough, making it easier to roll and cut.

While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking.
Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator.
Lightly flour your work surface and adjustable rolling pin, then roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. If the dough starts to crack or becomes too soft, return it to the refrigerator to chill briefly.
Use Christmas cookie cutters or other desired shapes to cut out cookies.
Carefully transfer the cutouts to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space between each cookie.
For cookies that hold their shape beautifully, place the baking sheet with the cut-out cookies in the refrigerator for an additional 10 minutes before baking.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. The edges should be set, but the centers should still feel slightly soft. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Repeat the rolling, cutting, chilling, and baking steps with the second disk of dough until all cookies are baked.