The sweet smell of ginger, cinnamon and cloves fills the air as I open our back door. My girls quickly drop their school bags and coats as they scramble in the house. Joyful grins light up their faces as they catch a whiff. The familiar spicy fragrance means something wonderful is coming, gingerbread.
Baking gingerbread cookies with my daughters is one our family’s most beloved holiday traditions. It doesn’t matter how many things I have left to do on my holiday list or how messy my kitchen looks when it’s covered in powdered sugar, when I sit down to decorate cookies it all fades away.
Gathered around our little kitchen table, what would have been an ordinary afternoon is suddenly a cookie party. There is so much excitement as the mixer whirs and whips up the frosting. I spoon the icing into pastry bags as fast as I can. We talk and laugh as we pipe little dots, dashes and swirls of icing. Fueled by secret “quality assurance” taste tests, my cookie artists soon create a trayful of masterpieces.
The story of this gingerbread cookie tradition began when I was in high school. However, now that my daughters love it as much as I do, it has become even more meaningful. Over the years they have helped me bake, taste and create our own ultimate gingerbread cookies recipe. The key I have found is rolling the dough out thick and then being careful to pull them out the oven the moment they begin to show signs of a crinkle on top.
Gingerbread Cookies- Makes about 2 dozen
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 tablespoons orange blossom honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
First, in the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Next, add in the molasses, honey, vanilla and eggs and beat on medium speed for a minute. Then add in the baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and flour. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
Place half of the dough on a lightly floured surface or silicone baking mat, and using a floured rolling pin roll the dough out till it is 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut with holiday cookie cutters and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Continue until all the dough is used.
Bake for 6 to 7 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before decorating.
Royal Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 7 tablespoons water
In the bowl of the electric mixer mix add in the powdered sugar, meringue powder and water. Mix on medium low for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Place icing into pastry bags fitted with writing tips. Have a small cup of water to dip your finger in to smooth any pointy icing dots or seams. Another tip is when baking with kids, use a rubber band to secure the back of the pastry bag so the icing stays inside.
Note meringue powder can be found online at the King Arthur Baking Company or at a craft store like Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
So, share a little happiness this holiday season with our family’s gingerbread cookies. Baking Christmas cookies makes the world a little sweeter and brighter. One chewy gingery bite and these cookies will have you signing a holiday tune and wanting to host your own cookie party.
Happy holiday baking!
