Sunday, December 18, 2011

Gingerbread Cookies

If I ever ask my family what kind of cookies they would like me to bake, the answer is always the same. "Can you please make your gingerbread cookies"? I have been making these ever since my kids were toddlers. They are in college now and still ask for gingerbread cookies. Holidays just wouldn't be the same without them.



Making these cookies is usually a multi-day event for me.

Day 1 I make the cookie dough and chill it in the fridge.

Day 2 I roll out the dough, cut the cookies, and bake them.






Day 3 I make the icing and decorate the cookies.






One of my favorite memories making these cookies was when my youngest son was 2 years old. He was helping me decorate the cookies. After some time he piped up, all excited, "Look mommy, he has a wee wee!". Sure enough, I look over and he has created an anatomically correct gingerbread man. Kids do the darndest things! It was all I could do to keep a straight face.

GingerbreadMen2Christmas Tree CookiesMittenCookies



If you want to make these yummy cookies, here is the recipe I use:

Gingerbread Cookies


3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ginger

Cream sugar and butter in mixing bowl. Beat in molasses and buttermilk. Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed. Chill several hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out 1/3 of the dough at a time on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with floured cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Decorate with Spiced Vanilla Icing.

Spiced Vanilla Icing
Corrected



4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 tablespoons light cream or Milk
1/4 teaspoon Cloves (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Ginger (optional)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon (optional)
Food Coloring (optional)

Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, butter and enough cream until it has a very soft, spreadable consistency. Use it just like this if you want to decorate white cookies. Add all or any combination of the cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon to make a delicious spiced icing. Separate it into different bowls and add food coloring if desired.

I doubled the icing recipe since I usually need at least 2 batches to decorate the cookies; however, I originally forgot to double some of the ingredients. That has been corrected. Sorry about that!

Happy Baking!!

Some of these images have been processed using Kim Klassen's Day 6 and Day 7 magic textures. Many thanks to Kim for hosting her 12 days of textures!


15 comments:

Angie said...

OOH! Can you say BEAUTIFUL?!

I love food photography! It is my thing and I feel so passionately about it and your photos here are brilliant!

Marty Mason said...

They look so yummy and well worth the effort you put into getting them up and running!

Pat said...

Mmmm...they look good! Nice photos!

deborah said...

Great photos Linda, and you were sweet to share your recipe!

Kia said...

Your Gingerbread Cookies looks really yummy, Linda :) I especially love the Gingerbread Mittens.
Thanks for the recipe and have a Merry Christmas!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous photos and yummy looking recipe!

Sylvia said...

Mmm, these cookies are lovely and they look delicious, thanks for sharing the recipe !
Beautiful use of Kim's texture !
Nice week,
Sylvia

Evelyn S. said...

I am so impressed with women who take the time and make the effort to bake such wonderful Christmas delights! Beautiful food photograph, too!

hannah said...

More cookies.
Make me feel so guilty, as all I do is bake one cake. And I ahven't even done that yet :-)
Looks terrific, all those shapes.
Have a happy time.

Merike said...

So beautiful Christmas cookies :)

Lisa Gordon said...

Gingerbread cookies are one of my favorites Linda, but I have never tried the spiced icing. It sounds wonderful!! Thank you for sharing the recipe here, and for sharing with us this week at The Creative Exchange.

I wish you a beautiful Holiday.

lisa.

LeAnne said...

Yummy! Great use of texture here

FYH said...

Such yummie Christmas cookies...

Merry Christmas!

Unknown said...

There is nothing nicer than a gingerbread man at Christmas. Love the idea of the spice icing will have to try it out!

deb duty said...

I love this collection of photos! Your gingerbread cookies are so lovely!