Cream Cheese Frosting For Gingerbread Cookie Trees Recipes

GINGERBREAD-COOKIE TREES

Steps:

• Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, then molasses, spices, baking soda, and salt. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour. Divide dough into quarters; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours (up to 2 days).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Transfer one disk of dough at a time to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes using a set of 11 fluted round cookie cutters in graduated sizes (3/4 inch to 3 1/2 inches). You will use each cutter once for every tree. Using a 1 1/4-inch star cutter, cut out 10 stars. Arrange cookies by size on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
• Bake until firm, about 6 minutes for small cookies and 10 minutes for large. Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks, and let cool completely.
• Assemble trees: Put frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (such as Ateco #12). Pipe a dime-size dot of frosting in center of second-largest cookie; sandwich with largest cookie. Repeat in descending pairs with larger cookies on top to make 5 sandwiches. Pipe a scalloped 1/4-inch-thick border of frosting on top of larger cookie of largest sandwich. Top with the second-largest sandwich, larger cookie up, and repeat to make a tree of 5 sandwiches. Top with frosting, then smallest cookie, then more frosting and a star (standing upright). Cookie trees can be refrigerated up to 6 hours (they will soften). Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves.
• In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, stevia, molasses, applesauce, ginger, and egg. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a tablespoon to scoop out dough. Roll dough into balls. Place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart. Very slightly flatten cookies with your palm.
• Bake until puffy and set, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For frosting, in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until very smooth. With mixer running, add butter a little at a time, beating constantly. Add powdered sugar, stevia, and vanilla and beat just until smooth.
• Use a small offset spatula to spread frosting on top of cookies.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR GINGERBREAD-COOKIE TREES

Steps:

• Put cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to medium-low, and mix in sugar and vanilla. Raise speed to medium-high, and mix until fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH LEMON FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and molasses. In another bowl, whisk the next 8 ingredients; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until tops are cracked, 8-10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients; beat until smooth. Frost cookies. Refrigerate in an airtight container.