Ginger Bread Cookies
Nothing says the holidays quite like ginger bread cookies! These little guys are made with a perfect balance of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, paired with the richness of molasses. The dough is easy to roll out and shape into these classic figures, and once baked, they’re soft in the centre with a slight crisp on the edges. I decorated them with a simple icing to bring their personalities to life—each one as unique as the season itself. A treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.
Ingredients
440 gm all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbs tablespoon ground ginger
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
145 gm unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
150 gm brown sugar
160ml (about 200 gm) dark molasses
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
1. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
2. Whisk the butter on medium speed until creamy which would take about a minute. Whisk in the brown sugar and molasses and beat until creamy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla & whisk again on high speed for 2 minutes
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.
5. Divide dough in half and wrap each up tightly with cling film. Chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
6. Line baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
7. Sprinkle flour on a work surface. Roll out dough until it is ¼-inch thick.
8. Dip cookie cutters in flour and cut dough into shapes.
9. Place in baking trays, at least 1-inch apart.
10. Repeat with remaining dough.
11. Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven at 177C. Baking time depends on the size of the cookies. The longer the baking time, the harder and crunchier the cookies will be.
12. Cool completely and decorate as desired.