One of the cookies everyone requests is my gingerbread. Each holiday season, I pack up little bags for co-workers and friends, and these cookies are always in there.
The success to these cookies is a combination of generous spice, refrigerated dough, and a swift assembly line to get the cookies in the oven without stop in 8 min increments. Warm dough means that the cookie will spread in the oven.
Ingredients
6 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (sub margarine or shortening)
1 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 clove nutmeg, grated (sub 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
1 pinch fresh ground pepper (white is preferable, but black works)
1/2 teaspoon all-spice
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses
How-To
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Add flour mixture; combine on low speed. Divide dough in thirds; wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350°. On a floured work surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and bake immediately. Cookie should be light golden (and chewy if rolled 1/4 inch thick) but not darkened, approx. 8 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks.
Makes about 2-3 dozen, depending on the size of cookie cutter.
“Tip - Do not freeze the dough or the cookie - the freezing process “numbs” the spice and it will not taste like gingerbread. Store up to 10 days in a sealed container.”
