Gingerbread Cookies
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 24- 30 cookies
Ingredients
  • Cookie Dough
  • 2½ cups of all purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup salted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, room temp
  • ⅓ cup fancy molasses
  • Royal Icing
  • 2 tbsp meringue powder
  • 4 tbsp room temp water
  • 2⅓ cup icing sugar, sifted
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, baking soda and salt.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and sugar until fluffy- about 2 minutes. Stop mixer and add the molasses and the egg. Beat until well combined - about another 2 minutes scraping down the sides at least once.
  3. Add in the flour mixture in 3 additions until well combined.
  4. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Place each piece between 2 layers of plastic wrap and roll out to ¼" thickness. Ensure dough is well sealed and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Remove dough from fridge. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap and cut out shapes with your choice of cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps to use up all of the dough. If the dough becomes warm refrigerate again before cutting.
  7. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 10-12 minutes depending on the size of your cookie. Rotate cookies sheets half way through baking. Let cool on sheet for 3-4 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
  8. Royal Icing: While cookies are cooling in a large bowl beat the water and meringue powder until white and foamy about 2 minutes. Add the icing sugar about ½ cup at a time until it becomes stiff and very glossy about 3-4 minutes. Cover bowl with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use.
  9. You can separate into small bowls and add food colouring.
  10. Transfer to piping bags fitted with a small round tip to pipe cookies. Keep tips of bags covered with damp towel when not using to avoid the icing from hardening.
  11. Let iced cookies sit at room temp for at least an hour to set before storing in a cookie tin. Place wax paper between the layers to protect your art work.
Recipe by Chateau Elma at https://www.chateauelma.com/gingerbread-cookies