Chewy Cut Out Gingerbread Cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the molasses and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
Then, right on top of the wet ingredients, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Mix on low speed until a dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Once the 30 minutes of chilling is done, preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is ¼ inch in thickness. Using a large cookie cutter, cut out the dough and place it on your lined baking sheet with about 2 inches in between each cookie. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are set and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To make royal icing using meringue powder: add the powdered sugar, meringue powder, water, and vanilla extract in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl if using a handheld mixer. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then turn the mixer up to high speed and mix for 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks form. You might need to add more water (to thin) or more powdered sugar (to thicken) depending on desired consistency.
To make royal icing using pasteurized egg whites: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until frothy. Add the powdered sugar, water, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then turn the mixer up to high speed and mix for 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks form. You might need to add more water (to thin) or more powdered sugar (to thicken) depending on desired consistency.
Color the frosting with food coloring as desired. Using a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off, pipe the frosting on the cookies! Enjoy! Store in an air tight container at room temp.