Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread cookies, richly infused with spices and molasses, capture the holiday spirit. Adorned with royal icing, they make a delightful dessert or a festive addition to your Christmas tree. Enjoy!
Description:
As Christmas approaches, you immerse yourself in the joy of baking gingerbread cookies. The kitchen comes alive with the scent of spices and molasses, a sensory reminder of the holiday season. You carefully mix the ingredients, your hands skillfully shaping the dough into festive forms. Into the oven they go, emerging perfectly baked and golden-brown. With a palette of royal icing at your disposal, you transform each cookie into a miniature masterpiece. These homemade gingerbread cookies, a labor of love, are ready to be savored as a delicious Christmas treat or to add a touch of sweetness to your Christmas tree. Happy baking and Christmas! 🍪🎄
Recipe
COURSE:Desert Or a Snack CUISINE:American
DIET:Gluten Free PREP TIME:20 minutes
COOK TIME:15 minutes PROOF TIME:60 mintus
TOTAL TIME:1 Hours 35 minutes SERVINGS:24 Cookies
CALORIES:168 kcal
Ingrediants:
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1.5 cup oat flour
- 1.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1.5 large egg
- 1.5 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.4 cup coconut oil (lightly melted)
- 0.8 cup molasses
- 0.4 cup maple syrup
- 0.4 cup brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.4 teaspoon ground clove
- 0.8 teaspoon salt
For the royal icing:
- 1 raw or pasteurized egg white (or alternatively, 1 tablespoon of egg white powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1 3/4 cups of sifted powdered sugar
OR
- 3 cups of powdered sugar
- Between 4.5 to 6 tablespoons of almond milk (or water as an alternative)
Optional, for decorating:
- Raisins
- currants
- chocolate chips
- candy pieces
- frosting
Method:
1. Preparing the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, energetically whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and pepper. Once mixed, set this aside.
2. Creating the Dough: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, whip the butter until it’s light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until it’s well incorporated. Proceed to mix in the egg and molasses.
Gradually introduce the flour mixture, combining at a low speed. You might need to knead it with your hands to fully incorporate the last bit of flour.
3. Chilling the Dough: Split the dough into three equal parts; wrap each part in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. Before rolling out, allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. If the dough feels too soft to roll out after refrigerating, add a bit more flour.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
4. Rolling Out the Dough : Place a third of the dough on a large piece of lightly floured parchment or wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it’s 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the rolled-out dough back to the refrigerator to chill for another 5 to 10 minutes. This will make it easier to cut out the cookies.
5. Cutting Out the Cookies: Use a cookie cutter to create shapes, or place a stencil over the dough and use a knife to cut into desired shapes.
Transferring to the Baking Sheet: Move the cutouts to ungreased baking sheets. If desired, press raisins, chocolate chips, or candy pieces into the center of each cookie for “buttons.”
6. Baking: Bake at 350°F until the cookies are crisp but not darkened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them sit for a few minutes before using a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as you wish.
Homemade donuts are best eaten within a few hours but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Making the Royal Icing:
Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice together, gradually adding the sifted powdered sugar until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
If you’re using powdered egg whites, combine 1 tablespoon of egg white powder with 2 tablespoons of water and proceed as usual.
If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar until you achieve the desired consistency.
Once you’ve made the royal icing, use it quickly before it hardens.
Decorating the Cookies: Fill a piping bag with the icing to create different shapes on the cookies. (Alternatively, you can use a plastic sandwich bag with one corner cut off.)
Keep the icing covered while you work with it to prevent it from drying out.
Once the cookies are decorated, the surface of the royal icing will dry quickly, within about 15 minutes. However, the icing may still be soft inside. Allow the decorated cookies to sit at room temperature for 12 hours for the icing to dry completely.
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