How to Bake Gingerbread Cookies

How to make gingerbread cookies

You first have to simmer the molasses and brown sugar to bring out the flavor of the spices in this traditional gingerbread cookie recipe. Next, add baking soda, and cold butter -to lower the mixture's temperature, an egg, and the dry ingredients to the saucepan to make the cookie dough.

Alternatively, if you wish to create the cookie dough ahead of time, refrigerate it for up to three days and let it lay out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to soften before rolling. If the dough feels too soft to work with easily, you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes to an hour.

Tips for making gingerbread cookies

Put parchment paper on your cookie sheets to prevent scorching.

Do not add baking powder to the dough as the lack of baking powder in the cookie dough enables your gingerbread cookies to maintain their shape even after baking.

Keep a close check on them as they bake because the cooking time for these cutout cookies will change based on the size cutters you use.

Equipment you will need

You will need a rolling pin and various 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters in the shapes of people, snowflakes, and candy canes to make these cookies, among other specific tools.

You might also need a pastry bag with a simple 1/8- to 1/4-inch tip and a metal offset spatula.

Gingerbread cookies decorating icing

The icing used here is a type of royal icing that includes lemon juice, vanilla extract, and powdered egg whites. When the icing dries, the powdered egg whites help to solidify the mixture and give it a glossy, matte appearance.

Decorating gingerbread cookies makes them more fun and it is a wonderful improvement using the decorating icing over a simple coating of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Gingerbread cookies:

3¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter

1 large egg, lightly beaten

⅔ cup molasses

⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoon baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

Decorating icing and assembly:

450g powdered sugar

4 teaspoons powdered egg whites

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gel food coloring (optional)

Sprinkles, and sanding sugar, for decorating

Procedure

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the molasses, brown sugar, and spices to a boil while stirring regularly.

Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda -the mixture will bubble up.

Cut the butter into pieces then add the butter 3 to 4 pieces at a time, stirring after each addition to ensure that it melts completely.

Add the lightly beaten egg into the mixture then stir in the salt and flour. Mix gently. Set the oven to 325 F.

Transfer the dough to a surface that has been lightly dusted with flour, and knead for 30 to 1 minute, or until it is soft and easy to handle, adding as much of the remaining 14 cup of flour as is necessary to prevent sticking.

Divide the dough into half and wrap one half in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature as you work on the remaining dough.

On a lightly dusted surface, roll out the remaining dough into a 14-inch circular that is 1/8-inch thick.

Use cookie cutters to create as many cookies as you can, and then gently move them to two big baking sheets that have been buttered. Space the cookies about an inch apart.

Bake cookies in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, rotating the sheets midway through baking until the edges are slightly darker. Watch carefully toward end of baking to ensure your cookies do not get burnt.

Move the cookies to wire racks to finish cooling as you make more gingerbread cookies with the leftover cookie dough and scraps.

For the cookies decorations:

Combine the powdered sugar, powdered egg whites, lemon juice, vanilla essence, and the third cup of water in a large bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer at medium speed.

Beat the mixture for about 1 minute until just blended. Increase speed to high and whip icing for 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 4 - 5 minutes in a handheld until it holds stiff peaks, occasionally scraping down the edge of the bowl.

*Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin the icing to desired consistency if you intend to spread it rather than pipe it on cookies.

If using food coloring, divide a quarter cup of icing into small bowls for each color and mix until the desired hue is achieved.

 If using pastry bags, spoon the icing into a pastry bag, squeeze out extra air, and cut a 1/8-inch hole in corner of the bag.

Decorate cookies with icing by tightly twisting the bag immediately above the icing. Add the sanding sugar, and sprinkles for decoration on top of the icing.

Storing gingerbread cookies

Let the icing on the cookies completely dry for at least an hour before storing them in airtight jars or containers. Your gingerbread cookies can last for up to three weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.