Gingerbread Snowflakes

Gather all the ingredients. (5 minutes)

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, cocoa powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne until thoroughly combined. (5 minutes)

In a separate bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale yellow and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add molasses, vanilla, and egg. Whisk until well blended. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring just until the flour disappears. (10 minutes)

Place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a rectangle approximately 1-inch high by 4 to 5 inches wide. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until dough is cold and firm, about 1 hour. (1 hour + 5 minutes)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. (10 minutes)

Once the dough is chilled, slice across the block into 14 or 15 pieces about 3/8 inch thick. Cut each slice in half, then each half into 3 strips lengthwise. (15 minutes)

Use 3 strips of dough to form a 6-pointed star, pressing the ends together gently. Place stars onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them as they will spread. (20 minutes)

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or 15 minutes for crispier cookies. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes. (30 minutes + 12-15 minutes)

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and water until a smooth, ribbon-like icing forms. Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe intricate snowflake designs onto the cooled cookies. (20 minutes)

Serve and enjoy these festive Gingerbread Snowflakes with a warm beverage! (5 minutes)