Gingerbread cookies are a popular Christmas treat made with gingerbread dough and molasses. They are often cut into festive shapes and decorated with icing and candy. To make them, mix dry ingredients with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, then mix with butter, brown sugar, egg, molasses, and vanilla extract. Roll out the dough, cut into shapes, and bake for 7-9 minutes. Gingerbread houses are also made from a firmer dough and decorated with royal icing and candy.
Gingerbread cookies are popular baked cookies made from gingerbread dough; they are dark brown in appearance and firmer in texture than many cookies. Gingerbread dough is designed to roll out flat, so many people use cookie cutters to shape cookies into specific shapes. Gingerbread cookies are most commonly associated with the Christmas holidays and often form into festive shapes, gingerbread men, or gingerbread houses.
Although there are several variations on the gingerbread recipe and gingerbread cookies, classic gingerbread cookies have a distinct, rich ginger and cinnamon flavor. The main distinguishing factor in gingerbread cookies is that the recipe calls for molasses when many other cookies would use sugar. This change in ingredients causes gingerbread cookies to taste sweeter and richer, be firmer, and keep longer than other cookies.
There are many gingerbread recipes available. In one version, you first mix 3 cups (720 mL) flour, 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 mL) baking powder, 0.75 of a teaspoon (3.75 mL) baking soda, and 0.25 of a teaspoon (1.25 mL) of salt in a small bowl. Then whisk in 1.75 teaspoons (8.6 mL) of ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger (15 mL) and 0.25 of a teaspoon (1.25 mL) of cloves in dust. Blend until all ingredients are well combined.
In a separate, larger bowl, 6 tablespoons (90 mL) unsalted butter, 0.75 of a cup (180 mL) brown sugar and 1 large egg are mixed with a blender on medium speed until they are well mixed. Once mixed, add 0.5 of a cup (120 mL) of molasses and 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of vanilla extract and stir until blended. Add the dry ingredients that were set aside earlier.
Once the dough is made, divide it in half and wrap each half in plastic; leave to rest at room temperature for at least two hours. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (177° Celsius) and roll out half of the dough on a floured surface. Cut cookies with desired cookie cutters, place them evenly on a prepared baking sheet, and bake for 7-9 minutes. It’s important not to overbake the cookies in an effort to achieve the normal gingerbread cookie texture. The cookies will be soft until they have completely cooled, at which point they will have a harder texture.
To make gingerbread men you need to cut gingerbread cookie dough into people-shaped cookies and decorate with icing and sometimes candy. Gingerbread houses are also made from gingerbread cookie dough. People who make gingerbread houses usually use a different gingerbread recipe – a firmer dough known as German-style gingerbread – to ensure the houses don’t collapse. The houses are also usually covered in royal icing and candies and are popular as Christmas decorations.
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