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.
Mele Kalikimaka from my kitchen to yours.
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.
