Ginger Shortbread Cookies Recipes

GINGER SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with foil, extending foil 2 inches on 2 opposite sides of pan.
• In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. On low speed, beat in flour, ground ginger and nutmeg until crumbly. Stir in crystallized ginger. Press dough firmly in pan. Prick surface generously with fork.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until light golden brown and set. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan by lifting foil. To make 24 squares, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows by pressing down with a long knife (do not use sawing motion). Cut each square diagonally in half to make triangles. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate uncovered on High 1 minute. Stir; microwave 30 seconds longer, stirring every 15 seconds, until completely melted. Dip one short, flat edge of each triangular cookie in chocolate; if necessary, shake off any excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper; let stand until chocolate is set before storing between layers of waxed paper in loosely covered container.

SPICY GINGER SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, lemon peel and egg yolk with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in 1 1/4 cups flour and the five-spice powder until dough holds together. Stir in ginger and pecans.
• Place dough on smooth surface sprinkled with 1 tablespoon flour. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 6-inch log. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring once, until softened and chips can be stirred smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and water. Add additional water, if needed, to achieve glaze consistency. Drizzle glaze over cookies. Let stand until set.

GINGER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Cream the 4 ozs butter with the sugar.
• Combine flour, 1 tsp. ginger, and baking powder; add to the butter mixture.
• Put into a greased shortbread pan (or a 7-8" round or square baking pan) and bake at 325 F (170 C) for about 40 minutes or until done.
• While the shortbread is baking, prepare the icing: melt together the butter, ginger, and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat until blended and smooth.
• Pour the icing over the hot shortbread and let it cool a little.
• When the icing has cooled a bit, decorate the top with pieces of candied ginger.
• Cut shortbread into shapes (wedges or rectangles).
• Cool completely before removing from pan.
• *Note:You may leave out the candied ginger- some may find it too spicy, especially children.

GINGER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Butter an 8 1/2-inch cake or springform pan; set aside. Sift together flour and salt into a small bowl; set aside. Place butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, about 2 minutes more. Add vanilla, if using. Add flour mixture, and combine on low speed, scraping with spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers.
• Pat dough into prepared pan. If rolling out dough to cut into shapes, form into a flat disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Sift 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of ground cloves, and a pinch of pepper with flour and salt. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out gingerbread men using a 3-inch cutter; sprinkle with crystal sugar; chill.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until firm, about 30 minutes.

GINGER SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, ground ginger and salt in medium bowl. Combine crystallized ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar on work surface; chop finely.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Add lemon peel and extracts. Beat in crystallized ginger mixture. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture in 4 additions.
• Transfer dough to floured work surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 6-inch log. Shape each log into 2x1x6-inch-long rectangular log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Cut each dough log into 1/3-inch-thick cookies. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart (cookies will spread slightly during baking). Bake cookies until edges are pale golden, about 24 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 3 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks. Sift additional powdered sugar over warm cookies, if desired. Cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.)

CHOCOLATE GINGER SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Use a rolling pin to mash the candied ginger into a paste.
• Use a sharp knife to slice the vanilla bean lengthwise. Separate the seeds from the outside skin by scraping the blade of the knife along the inside of the bean. Place the vanilla bean seeds, butter, sugar, egg yolks, and ginger in a medium-size mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute. Combine the baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and flour and add to the butter mixture all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 1 minute. Do not overmix the dough or it will become tough. Remove the dough from the bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• I baked my cookies in a special flexible baking sheet with dome-shaped cavities. Roll the dough into a rope that is about the same diameter as the cookie mold. Use a knife to cut each piece of dough. Press the dough into the mold. Repeat until all of the cavities are filled. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.
• To make the chocolate fans: Use an offset spatula to spread a very thin layer of tempered chocolate onto a piece of marble. Use a spatula to clean away chocolate so you are left with a rectangle shape. Let the chocolate set slightly. Place 1 hand on the handle of the cake triangle and rest your thumb on the blade of the triangle. Push the triangle through the chocolate in strips of about 2 inches. Use your thumb to catch 1 side of the chocolate to create small chocolate fans. Pinch the short side to create the handle of the fan. I colored my fans with my airbrush but you could also use a paintbrush. If using an airbrush, place a few drops of color in the airbrush.
• If using a paintbrush, mix together a few tablespoons of the cocoa butter with a small amount of powdered food color. It will be easier if you use yogurt machine to store and warm your paints. Apply color where you are inspired to do so.
• When the cookies have cooled, use a sharp knife to cut a wedge from the top of each cookie. Position the chocolate fans on top of each cookie.
• Source: Flexible baking pans - any kitchen supply store

ULTIMATE GINGER COOKIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.
• Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.