“Run, Run, as fast as you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread man!”
‘Tis the season for cookies, right? I love to bake around the holidays and this week Benjamin and I baked gingerbread cookies. None of our cookies got away from us {although a few did break their legs so that could be why}, and I wanted to share the recipe with you all! Don’t worry, you don’t have to have men-shaped cookie cutters! We did trees, ladies, men, bears, and Benjamin’s personal favorite: stars!
Here’s what you need:
2 bowls {One larger, one kinda medium}
5 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup Butter Crisco {or other shortening – we didn’t use butter Crisco, just reg}
1 cup sugar {as it happens, I forgot to add this… and it still tastes fine! just not as sweet}
1 egg – OR 4 teaspoons meringue powder + 4 tablespoons water
1 cup molasses
2 tablespoons vinegar
Here’s what you do:
Phase One: Grease your cookie sheets & preheat your oven to 375. {in medium bowl} Stir together flour, soda, spices, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside. {or let your toddler keep mixing it while you take care of the next two steps}
Phase Two: Mix together the meringue powder and water until well mixed and frothy.
Phase Three: {in large bowl} With an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the shortening for at least 30 seconds. Add sugar and increase mixer speed to high, beating until fluffy {if you don’t like super sweet cookies, you can leave the sugar out and it will still taste good}. Add the meringue mixture, molasses, and vinegar; beat well on high speed until batter is smooth and well blended.
Phase Four: Add dry ingredients gradually, beating continually with mixer. When batter becomes too stiff for the mixer, remove beaters and stir by hand.
The next step is one that I didn’t do. Maybe I should have to keep my mens from losing limbs.
Phase Five: Cover bowl and chill for 3 hours or overnight. After chilling the dough, divide in thirds.
I did do this, though:
Phase Six: Refrigerate two-thirds while you work on one-third. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place cut outs on a greased cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. {Be sure to make small openings in the top of each shape if you plan on hanging the cookies as ornaments!}
Phase Seven: Bake at 375 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Let cookies cool for about a minute before transferring them to a wire rack.
Phase Eight: Decorate! {Separate post on decorating coming soon!}
Enjoy Baking!!
