Gingerbread Cookies 101 Recipes

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar and barley malt syrup until smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the egg and continue to mix until completely incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again and add the vanilla, fresh ginger and orange zest.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Mix until just combined. Then, turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Cover completely in the plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
• Roll the dough out about 1/4 inch thick between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment paper. Place the rolled out dough onto parchment on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Cut the dough with cookie cutters and place onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. You can gather scraps together and reroll the dough 1 additional time.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until just beginning to brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.
• For the royal icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (see Cook's Note), add the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder and beat to combine. Add 4 tablespoons of warm water and beat to combine. Raise the paddle head to check the consistency of the icing; the icing should be thick and smooth, but not dripping from the paddle. Add more water until the desired consistency is reached. (You can add slightly more water to achieve a flooding consistency to completely cover the cookies; use a stiffer consistency to pipe decorations and details.) Immediately transfer the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small open tip. Decorate the gingerbread cookies.

THE BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves in a large bowl.
• Mix the butter, shortening, brown sugar and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and pat to 1/2-inch thick. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to 1/4-inch thick, dusting with flour if needed. Cut into 3- to 5-inch cookies with a gingerbread man cutter or desired shape. Brush off the excess flour and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
• Bake the cookies in batches until they are golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
• For the royal icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat in 6 tablespoons of water until well combined and you have stiff glossy peaks, adding 1 tablespoon more water at a time to reach a smooth pipeable consistency. Mix in food coloring as desired. Fill pastry bags fitted with tips. Decorate the gingerbread cookies with the icing.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one cookie sheet.
• Mix together the molasses, brown sugar, water and shortening.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Add to sugar mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on floured board. Cut with floured gingerbread cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool and decorate with frosting.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat together the butter, treacle, brown sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, then beat through all of the remaining dry ingredients apart from the caster sugar. Chill the mixture in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll the mixture into 20 even-sized balls (weighing for accuracy, if you like). Tip the caster sugar onto a small plate, then add each ball and roll around to coat. Space each ball out on the baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

GINGERBREAD GOOEY BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine 2 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, and ground cloves in a bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
• Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Blend on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add white and brown sugar, molasses, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Blend on medium-high speed until smooth. Add in egg and egg yolk and blend again on medium speed, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as necessary.
• Add the dry mixture slowly just until dough is blended, scraping down sides as necessary. Dough will be very soft. Cover work bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight, to allow dough to chill and firm.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line baking sheets with Silpat® mat or parchment paper.
• Roll dough into approximately walnut-sized balls. Pour confectioners' sugar into a bowl and roll dough balls in the sugar until very well coated. Set on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches of space in between, about 8 to 12 cookies per sheet, depending on how large you decide to make the cookies.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are just starting to firm and become golden browned and the center looks mostly set, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool. This should yield a chewy cookie with slightly crispy edges. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the butter and 1 cup (200 G) sugar with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and molasses, and beat until smooth.
• In a medium bowl, combine the Pillsbury™ Best™ All-Purpose Flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.
• Spread the remaining ½ cup (100 G) sugar in a shallow dish.
• Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop with a spring release, scoop a slightly heaped portion of dough and roll into a ball about 1½ inches (3.81 cm) in diameter. Roll the dough ball in the sugar to coat (optional), then place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls 2 inches (5 cm) apart. (Bake in batches if needed so the cookies have ample room to spread.)
• Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Once the cookies have cooled, spread 1-2 tablespoons of Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Frosting over each one and decorate with festive sprinkles.
• Enjoy!

THE MOST WONDERFUL GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
• In a large bowl (KitchenAid's great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
• Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
• Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 deg. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 375°.
• Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
• Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
• Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• Cut out cookies with desired cutter-- the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.
• Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies-- very good!).
• Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
• After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.
• I usually brush them with a powdered sugar glaze when I am in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with Royal icing.