Growing up my Mom always made the best gingerbread that I look forward to all year. These gingerbread are one of many reasons I enjoy Christmas time. They have that perfect flavor inside of a soft cookie with slightly crunchy edges–can you say mouth watering? As I got older, I spent my time in the kitchen helping her crank out these festive sweets for family and friends to enjoy.
Over the last few years we’ve come up with some fun things to create. From ginger“bees” to create your own Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head cookies:
Previous NextWhen December 1st hits I like to go ahead a prepare for multiple batches of these cookies. You never know when you will be heading to a Christmas cookie swap or need a sweet treat for the neighborhood kids, right?
Tip 1: To do this, I put all the dry ingredients for one batch into a Ziplock bag. When I need to make another batch I have half the work already done. This year I figured we would make about 3 batches of cookies so I had 3 bags of dry ingredients ready. However, if I didn’t need all 3 bags (which rarely happens) then I can put a date on the dry ingredients and save it for next year.
Once you are ready to mix all the ingredients together you are going to want the dough to end up looking like this:
Tip 2: My Mom taught me to roll out the dough on a sheet of aluminum foil. So instead of transferring the cookies to a baking sheet, you are just transferring the entire foil sheet of cookies to the baking sheet.
Tip 3: Make sure you flour the foil sheet and your rolling pin lightly. The dough typically is not too sticky but every now and then it will stick.
Roll the dough out to desired thickness, just be aware that the dough does not expand much. I typically roll the dough to a quarter inch thickness.
Use whatever cookie cutters your little heart desires!
Tip 4: Be aware that if you mix large and small cookie cutouts on the same baking sheet the smaller cookies will bake faster. So if you enjoy a smaller and crunchier gingerbread let them bake the full time with the larger cookies. Otherwise, take them out a few minutes sooner.
Finally, peel the scrap dough to be re-rolled out for even more cookie deliciousness.
Tip 5: Before rolling out the scrap dough, put it back in the mixer and add a tinybit of water to make the dough smooth again. It will help the dough not crack as bad when you re-roll it.
You will end up with these beautiful little cookies ready for decorating!
Share with me any of the fun gingerbread creations y’all make!
Mom's Favorite Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven 325 °FCream butter and sugar thoroughly with mixer (preferably with a heavy duty mixer such as a KitchenAid). Beat in molasses.Blend all dry ingredients. Alternately add dry ingredients and water to the butter-sugar mixture.Dough will be stiff but smooth. (It can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for one week. Remove 3 hours prior to rolling so it will be soft and workable)Bake at 325 °F for 10-13 minutes