I don’t think I have ever had so much fun baking anything in my life. Why oh why haven’t I ever baked gingerbread cookies before?! Well as with anything else the timing is always perfect and this was the precise time to make these, since my two sons partook in the making and decorating of these festive and mischievous little and sweet men. My eldest son, Jacob, has been reading the story of the Gingerbread Man in his Kindergarten class the last week and he’s really been taking aback by the fact that the old woman and man open their oven to check on their cookie only to find him jumping out and reaping havoc across the town. Naturally, the questions came before placing them into the oven, “Mommy are any of them going to jump out and run away?” Their innocence is something I hope lasts for a long time. I love seeing the wonder in their eyes and the fact that they can delve into their imagination. That’s part of what the holidays are all about, the innocent merriment and joy about these magical little cookies, trimmed Christmas trees, and gift giving. This moment of baking and decorating truly slowed us down at home and helped us genuinely just be joyed by our presence and interaction. Jacob also asked if we could do this together every year and without question it has been added to our holiday tradition list. I hope you enjoy making these whether with your children, grandchildren, or even on your own…there’s no way these will disappoint. Merry Christmas to all!
The plate pictured was our inspiration to the following recipe. The plate also has the recipe listed on the back in case you ever lose it. It is a Williams-Sonoma find, surprised? Yes, I know I am obsessed with that store. Ha! Ha!
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light molasses
1 egg
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
Royal icing for decorating
Colored sugars and other decorations as desired
Prepare
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your finger and thumb. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the molasses. Add the egg and beat until the mixture is blended.
Sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed or stirring with a wooden spoon until well blended.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, form into a large, smooth mound. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, shape into disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Using gingerbread cookie cutters 3 to 5 inches tall, cut out figures. Using an offset spatula, transfer the cookies to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough portions, then gather up the scraps and reroll them. If the scraps of dough have become sticky, refrigerate them for 10 minutes before rerolling. For best results, do not roll the same piece of dough more than twice.
Bake the gingerbread figures until lightly browned on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks and let cool completely. Dress up the cooled gingerbread figures with the royal icing, sugars and other decorations. Makes 2 to 5 dozen cookies, depending on size.
- 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light molasses
- 1 egg
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 Tbs. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Royal icing for decorating
- Colored sugars and other decorations as desired
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your finger and thumb. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the molasses. Add the egg and beat until the mixture is blended.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed or stirring with a wooden spoon until well blended.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, form into a large, smooth mound. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, shape into disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat an oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
- Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Using gingerbread cookie cutters 3 to 5 inches tall, cut out figures. Using an offset spatula, transfer the cookies to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough portions, then gather up the scraps and reroll them. If the scraps of dough have become sticky, refrigerate them for 10 minutes before rerolling. For best results, do not roll the same piece of dough more than twice.
- Bake the gingerbread figures until lightly browned on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks and let cool completely. Dress up the cooled gingerbread figures with the royal icing, sugars and other decorations. Makes 2 to 5 dozen cookies, depending on size.
