Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread Cookies

I had this Gingerbread Cookie recipe from Fine Cooking and baked them earlier this week. I doubled the spices since I like a lot of flavor and it brings out the molasses. I made gingerbread boys, gingerbread houses, reindeer heads, reindeer face, and reindeer gingerbread. I also used a small round cookie cutter and used Wilton Icing Decorations of gingerbread boys. This cookie is chewy and has a perfect balance of flavor. I love the aroma of the cookies while baking. See recipe below.

Gingerbread Cookies

Yield: About 3 - 3 1/2-inch cookies depending on cutter size

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Coarse Salt

2 1/2 teaspoons Ground Ginger

2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves

1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened and cut into cubes

3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

3/4 cup Molasses

1 Large Egg

Gingerbread Cookies

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and light brown sugar in a hand held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed; 1-2 minutes. Do not overmix.

Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and mix for a 10 seconds.

Reindeer Head

Add egg and mix until incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 5 seconds.

Add molasses and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Close-up of Gingerbread House; wafer paper design ordered from Fancy Flours

Brushing wafer paper with light corn syrup

Gingerbread Houses in progress

With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture and beat until incorporated. The dough is ready when it begins to clump around paddle attachment.

Gingerbread Boys

This dough is sticky from the molasses.

Divide dough in half, cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1-2 hours or overnight.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Heat oven to 350°F.

Roll out dough in between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent the dough from sticking to rolling pin.

Gingerbread Boys

If needed, dip cutters into a little flour, and shake off excess. Use a small brush once you have the cut shapes on baking sheets to remove the excess flour.

Cut out shapes and place on baking sheets and freeze for 15 minutes so the cookies hold their shape as they bake.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until they feel firm. My cookies baked in 10 minutes.

Wilton Icing Decorations - Gingerbread Boys

Wait 2-3 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool.

See link below for Royal Icing recipe.

For the Gingerbread Cookies recipe, please visit Fine Cooking:
http://www.finecooking.com/recipe/classic-gingerbread-cookies

I was inspired by these cute Gingerbread Reindeer from Food Network:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/gingerbread-reindeer-44808174

I was inspired by these adorable Reindeer from One Little Project:
http://onelittleproject.com/easy-reindeer-sugar-cookies/

Please visit, Joy of Baking for the Royal Icing Recipe and Video Tutorial:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/RoyalIcing.html

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys