It's one of my favorite traditions. This year, Adam and I aren't going to Arizona for Christmas, but that didn't stop me from baking or making a complete mess. Last Sunday when I was grocery shopping, I had the urge to make gingerbread cookies. I wanted to turn on Christmas movies and fill our house with the smell of gingerbread, so that is exactly what I did.
Does anything smell like Christmas more than gingerbread? If so, I have yet to find it. To me, it is the smell of Christmas. While I was baking, my neighbor stopped by and she immediately commented on how good the house smelled, gingerbread. Adam came home with the same comment, gingerbread.
I'm telling ya guys, these cookies are Christmas. Throw on some sprinkles, red hots, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy.
I learned a secret through this last baking escapade. When the cookies were coming out, they were super fat and fluffy. My best, Coti told me it's because the dough is too warm. Keep it cool. Use small amounts and while you're rolling out the other dough, keep the remainder in the fridge. Oh, and the thinner the cookies are, the crispier.
Let's get to the fun stuff, the cookies.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick, room temperature)
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
How to Make:
- Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper into a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In your kitchen aid mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and vegetable shortening until well combined (about one minute).
- Add in the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color (2 minutes).
- Beat in the molasses and the egg.
- Gradually mix in the flour mixture. Slowly.
- Divide the dough into two thick disks, wrap in seran warp and put in the fridge.
- Let cool for 3 hours (or lasts for 2 days).
- When cooled, work with one disk at a time.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the top of the dough and the rolling pin with flour.
- Roll the dough out until 1/8 inch thick.
- Make sure the dough is cool. Luckily my bff told me that if the dough isn't chilled the cookies get fatter and spread out.
- Place the cookies one inch apart on a non-stick cookie sheet.
- Decorate!
- Cook for 10-12 minutes. For the first 5 minutes, place the cookies on the top shelf, for the next 5 minutes, place cookies on the bottom shelf.
- Once cooked, let them rest on the pan for 2 minutes before cooling on a cooking rack.
- Enjoy!
Happy Friday friends! It's the last full weekend before Christmas! Make sure you get to baking and shopping!
I haven't made gingerbread cookies yet this season, but now I am craving them!! These look delicious!
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