- Nicola
Gingerbread Cookies
Updated: Apr 15, 2020
Nothing says Christmas like Gingerbread! We are in the midst of December and Christmas is just a week away. Time to get started on some more Christmas baking! Last week we did a classic Chocolate Chip Cookie, something soft and chewy for Santa to bite into with his milk. Today is all about that spicy warm gingerbread! The perfect combination of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and molasses will get us these delicious gingerbread treats perfect to serve with a cup of warm tea, hot cocoa, or eggnog.
This is the perfect recipe to cut into any fun shapes and decorate with royal icing and then adorned with sugar, candies, and other decorations. These gingerbread cookies are crisp on the edges, perfectly spiced with Christmas, soft in the centres, and deliciously sweetened with molasses and brown sugar.
WHAT IS MOLASSES?
Molasses is a thick by-product of refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. It has a thick viscosity. The flavour is quite smoky, plus it works well with winter spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Spices of our delicious Christmas Gingerbread.
CAN I USE A SUBSTITUTE?
According to google, 1 cup of molasses can be substituted with 1 cup of dark corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup.
Gingerbread Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses* 1 large egg, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Next add the dry ingredients.
Mix until dough is well combined and smooth.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and wrap the dough. Flatten slightly into a disc. Then place in the fridge for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly dust the work surface with flour, as well as the cookie cutters and rolling pin.
Remove the disc from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. This will soften the dough and make it easier to roll.
Roll the disc into 1/4-inch thick.
Using cooking cutter cut into shapes. Wiggle a bit to remove.
Place the cookies on lined baking sheet about 1-inch apart.
Spray the cookies with a light mist of water before baking if they are heavily dusted with flour.
Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven to bake for 8 to 11 minutes depending on size of cookies and your oven. For cookies smaller than 4-inches aim for 8 to 9 minutes, for cookies larger than 4-inches aim for 10 to 11 minutes. If your oven has hotspots, make sure to rotate the pan once during the bake time.
Remove from oven and cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely
Reroll any scraps and cut out more cookies to bake.
When the cookies have cooled completely, decorate as desired.
Notes: *Lightly oil the surface of the measuring container for the molasses, it will prevent sticking and the molasses will pour right out.
These cookies stay fresh at room temperature for up to a week.