It’s that time of the year to bake up a batch of these gingerbread cookies for family and friends. I can’t think of another holiday cookie that brings such a big smile to everyone who receives one of these adorable treats. Once baked and cooled, the fun begins with decorating the gingerbread cookies.
In preparation of making these cookies:
*Check the freshness of your spices especially those that you only use occasionally.
*Meringue powder is the way to go when icing the cookies. Here on Maui they sell Wilton’s brand at Walmart and Safeway.
*Having a small squeeze bottle to decorate the cookies is very useful. It will allow you to draw fine lines and fill in small areas on the cookies.
*Use currants (smaller than raisins) for the eyes. Or skip this and use a drop of icing instead.
*Allow icing to dry thoroughly then package the cookies and freeze for optimal freshness if making days in advance.
These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies bake up golden brown and delightfully crispy. The perfect balance of peanut butter and melty chocolate makes these cookies irresistible.
A few simple ingredients will have you have you on your way to some of the best homemade cookies.
You can add extra chocolate chips and crunchy honey roasted peanuts to make these extra decadent and snazzy looking. Add them as soon as the cookies emerge from the oven. Or simply leave them unadorned, plain and simple for that classic peanut butter cookie look.
These are delicious once they cool off a bit and the chocolate has time to set. They keep well in the freezer where they are close at hand for those sudden cookie cravings.
1/2 cup (113g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (75g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter such as Skippy or Jif
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (50g) granulated sugar for rolling (optional)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, honey roasted peanuts split in half (optional for decorating)
Directions
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer cream the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat on medium high until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add peanut butter and vanilla, then beat on medium high until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and soft. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 2 days. If chilling longer than a few hours, allow the dough to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling and baking as the dough will be quite firm and the cookies may not spread.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop dough and roll into 24 balls (about 38g each for 3-inch cookies). Roll balls in 1/4 cup granulated sugar (optional). Place 12 balls on each cookie sheet. Flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a bowl or use a fork to make a crosshatch pattern.
Bake one sheet at a time for 16-17 minutes or until nicely browned. It may take up to 18 minutes depending on your oven. These cookies turn out crispy. If you prefer a softer center, bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.
As soon as the cookies are done baking, press in a few extra chocolate chips and/or peanuts while the cookies are still warm and a bit soft (optional). Let cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Notes
This recipe makes 2 dozen 3-inch cookies. Double the recipe for larger cookies, up to 60 grams each.
These cuties are a real treat that I make just once a year. Christmas is close, but you still have time to whip up a small (or large) batch of these crunchy gingerbread cookies. Decorating the cookies is a blast! Both children and adults will be delighted to receive a homemade gingerbread cookie this holiday season.
Through the years of making these cookies I have used several different recipes. This recipe makes delicious cookies that are thin and crispy. It’s a large recipe that will make approximately 45 cookies depending on the size of cookie cutter used. This year I tried Sally’s recipe that uses unsalted butter instead of shortening (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks to make it lactose free) and a larger amount of spices. It makes just about 22 gingerbread cookies which is exactly what I wanted this year. The cookies turned out great. I rolled them out a bit thinner than the recipe calls for and baked them longer so that my cookies would be crispy all the way through. If you prefer softer cookies roll them out as the original recipe instructs you to. When rolled out a bit thinner, they turned out to be similar in texture to the original recipe I used in the past so either option works great. Just keep in mind that the dough for both recipes needs to be refrigerated overnight to firm up before rolling out. Kudos to Sally for her always reliable recipes!
As mentioned in this post, I used pasteurized egg whites for the icing in the past. Last year I discovered (late in the game) meringue powder. It’s easier to use and can be easily stored for more cookies next year.
I hope you have the chance to make a small batch of these adorable cookies this holiday season.
Recipes adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction blog
Ingredients
440g (3 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour (if you do not have a scale use the spoon and level method to measure the flour) + more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (use a scant 1/2 teaspoon if using Earth Balance Buttery Sticks as they contain some salt)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
145g (10 tablespoons) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, at room temperature
150g (3/4 cup) packed light or dark brown sugar
200g (2/3 cup) unsulphured molasses such as Brer Rabbit or Grandma’s brand)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Royal Icing & Decorating
240g (2 cups) powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
5 tablespoons room temperature water
Assorted sugar sprinkles
Currants for gingerbread cookie eyes
Directions
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and all of the spices. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium-high until combined and creamy. Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the egg and vanilla on high speed for a full 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. You may use a firm spatula if the dough is too thick for the hand mixer. Once the ingredients are combined, divide the dough (it will be very soft) into 3 even portions and place on separate pieces of plastic wrap and wrap tightly patting gently to form into disk shapes. Transfer disks to a ziplock bag. Chill dough thoroughly for at lest 4 hours and preferably overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position racks in the middle and lower third level (just below the middle). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Meanwhile, place the dough disks in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. This will make rolling and cutting the cookies much easier if you are making thin and crispy cookies or if you live in a warm climate.
Place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and flour it generously. Remove 1 disk from the freezer and place on the parchment paper. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the top of the dough disk as well as the rolling pin. For thin cookies roll dough just under 1/4-inch. For softer cookies roll dough 1/4-inch thick. Cut into shapes and transfer to the baking sheets leaving 2-inches of space between them. Transfer dough scraps to the freezer to firm up.
Transfer the cookie sheets to the oven racks (positioned as mentioned above) and bake for 12-14 minutes for crispy cookies (cookies larger than 4-inches), rotating cookie sheets from front to back as well as switching shelves halfway through baking time. For smaller cookies bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. For thinner cookies check doneness after they have baked for 11 minutes as oven temperatures can vary quite a bit. For smaller cookies check after they have baked for 8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Continue with the remaining dough. Decorate cookies once they are completely cool. I make my cookies up to 3 weeks in advance and freeze until I am ready to pass them out.
Royal Icing & Decorating Cookies
Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl with high sides. Using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat on high speed for 1 1/2-2 minutes. If the icing is too thin, add more sugar and if too thick, add a bit of water. This recipe will make enough icing for 35+ medium sized cookies. If you plan to decorate with minimal icing on your cookies, cut the recipe in half.
Transfer icing to a small plastic squeeze bottle for easy application and outlining. Use various colors of sprinkles to make your cookies look fantastic! Allow icing to set completely before transferring cookies to storage containers. Freezing is the best method to keep cookies fresh if not passing out the day they are baked.
These excellent cookies come from King Arthur’s Test Kitchen and were crowned the winner of their 2015 recipe of the year. They described the cookies as being “soft and chewy packed with chips.” Though I won’t turn down a soft and chewy homemade cookie, a crispy cookie is my favorite. It was the “packed with chips” that convinced me to try this recipe. I’m not sure why my cookies turned out crispy but I was thrilled with the outcome. They are crispy throughout (not just the edges) and not too thick or too thin. With that said, they are my new favorite cookie.
The original recipe calls for a small amount of oats. I tested a few batches using old fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking oats and found that the latter produced a chocolate chip cookie in which the oatmeal was barely detectable. If you prefer the oatmeal to be more pronounced, use old fashioned oats.
There is no shortage of chocolate chips in this recipe. That’s what makes these cookies so good.
A quick chill in the refrigerator or freezer helps to firm up the dough which makes it much easier to portion out.
Allow the cookies to set on the sheet pan for a few minutes once they are out of the oven before transferring to a cooling rack. Once cooled, wrap and give some to your family and neighbors. I keep a few stashed in the freezer for an after dinner snack, sometimes eating them before they have time to defrost.
Crispy throughout with lots of chocolate = the perfect cookie.
8 tablespoons (113g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for lactose free cookies, or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (107g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
1/2 cup (45g) quick cooking or old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (scant if using Earth Balance Buttery Sticks) kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (255g) semisweet or dark chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the butter mixture. Mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix briefly. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Cover the bowl and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up or place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
For medium sized cookies, scoop 1 heaping tablespoon onto cookie sheet (12 balls fit nicely on a cookie sheet allowing for some spreading as cookies bakes).
Bake cookies for 13-16 minutes, until they are light golden brown, with slightly darker edges.
Remove the cookies from the oven, let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes or until they are set enough to handle. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Continue baking with the remaining dough alternating with cooled cookie sheets.
There’s still time to bake a batch of crispy gingerbread cookies to give away this holiday season. If you’re pressed for time as I was this year, cut the recipe in half. This way you won’t feel overwhelmed having 50+ cookies staring at you begging to be decorated one by one. I made 22 cookies which turned out to be the perfect amount this year.
I used meringue powder for the royal icing instead of pasteurized egg whites. About 5 years ago, Foodland sold pasteurized eggs by the dozen but discontinued carrying them. I could not find them anywhere else so I began to pasteurize my own eggs with our sous vide machine. As I was reading different royal icing recipes, I noticed that meringue powder is often used in place of egg whites. What did I learn after using it for the first time? It is incredibly easy to whip up a bowl of royal icing in just 3 minutes or so using a handheld mixer with a whisk attachment. The icing is smooth and sets perfectly. I’m now sold on using meringue powder for all future recipes that include royal icing. It saves me a lot of time not having to pasteurize eggs. You can find meringue powder online or at Walmart.
These chocolate covered pretzel rods are a lot of fun to make. I am not posting a recipe because you really don’t need one. Gather your ingredients: semisweet or dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, assorted sprinkles, red food coloring (for pink frosting), and pretzel rods. A small butter knife helps to spread and smooth the chocolate on the pretzel. Have everything ready to go before you melt the chocolate. Start with 1 cup of chocolate chips and microwave in a medium bowl on 50% power for 30 seconds. It won’t look like the chips have melted but give it a stir then repeat for another 30 seconds (always use 50% power or the chocolate may burn). Stir again, and repeat once more. By now, most of the chips will have melted. Stir the chocolate so all the remaining chips melt. Now you are ready to decorate your pretzel rods with your assorted sprinkles. If the chocolate hardens and is difficult to use, microwave on 50% power for 20 seconds or so to soften it. Sprinkles seem to go every which way when you use them. To keep things a bit tidy, use a sheet pan when decorating the pretzels. The sprinkles will (mostly!) be contained in the pan and not end up on the floor. Another tip is to line a small tray or pan with parchment or wax paper and place it in the refrigerator. Each time you decorate a pretzel, place it on the pan. The cool temperature helps to set the chocolate quickly so that there is less chance of drooping chocolate. You can buy pretzel rod packages online. They make for a nice presentation when giving these away as gifts. These cute pretzel rods can be made for all types of occasions, such as Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, or any other celebratory occasion. I found that Walmart has the widest variety of sprinkles, however, they may be low on stock since Christmas is just around the corner. Lee Bear in Kahului also has a nice selection of sprinkles and assorted bags for packaging your sweets. I decorate the pretzels up to 2 weeks in advance and freeze them in an airtight container then package them before giving away.
These kakimochi (mochi crunch/arare/rice crackers) chocolate chip cookies are a fun and tasty way to share a unique, local-style cookie with family and friends. They are crunchy and chocolatey in the best way. I love how cute they look with the mochi crunch topping. A sprinkling of furikake makes the perfect finishing touch.
There are numerous shapes and sizes of kakimochi. The sakura shape above works perfectly as they are not too large.
Once all the ingredients are combined, chill the dough for an hour in the refrigerator so it firms up a bit and doesn’t spread too much when baking.
Each dough ball is topped with a piece of kakimochi before baking. Sprinkle some of the dough balls with furikake.
Once the cookies are done baking, leave them on the cookie sheet for a minute so they firm up just a bit. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before packing them up for gifts.
1/2 cup (113g) room temperature Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (107g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (105g or 3.75 ounces) kakimochi (Tomoe brand recommended) + extra for topping cookies (about 36 pieces)
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
Furikake (Mishima Nori Komi Furikake recommended) for sprinkling on cookies
Directions
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer cream Buttery Sticks or butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and and mix well with a firm spatula. Stir in kakimochi and chocolate chips. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Form dough into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (keep remaining dough in the refrigerator until ready to use). Press a kakimochi on top of the dough ball and sprinkle with furikake if using. Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until cookies are lightly browned. Let cookies rest on pan for one minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
