Gingerbread cookies for decorating!!! Decorate? .....I mean eat ... hehehe! These cookies are a the star of the holiday season. Moms, dads, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and adults in general, know that baking and decorating these gingerbread men cookies with our children, nephews, or friends, is a family activity that we all enjoy and that children keep as a nice memory.
I had made gingerbread men before with the Sugar Cookies recipe and added a little cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to the dough, but I never tried this recipe with molasses because I thought it would not be crispy or taste right. I was wrong, these cookies are crunchy and delicious. Knowing now all the properties of molasses, I will bake these cookies more often and not exclusive for Christmas because they go perfect with tea or coffee any time of the year.
I use Vida Natural Organic Molasses made in Dominican Rep.
Molasses provides: iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2 and B6.
It is a high quality, nutritious food, invigorating, purifying, anti-anemic. Prevents high pressure, rheumatism, ulcers, anemia, cysts. It is an excellent nutritional supplement for its high content of vitamins and minerals.
Yield: 40 medium-sized cookies.
You could easily double this recipe to make more cookies or a gingerbread house.
Ingredients:
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cups molasses
1 egg beaten
Royal Icing
3 egg whites, at room temperature
3 ½ - 4 (1 lbs) cups powdered sugar 300gr
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vanilla
food coloring (optional)
See step by step instructions to make this icing: HERE
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
3. Melt shortening in large saucepan. Cool slightly.
4. Add sugar, molasses and eggs to saucepan; mix well. Add 4 cups dry ingredients and mix well.
5.Turn mixture onto lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add a little more flour, if necessary, to make firm dough. Split into two discs and put into refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour or over night.
6. On floured surface, extend dough or between to two saran wraps, until the desired thickness for cutting cookies. Place in a tray and bring to refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
7. Cut the cookies and place in a lightly greased baking tray. Bake small and medium-sized cookies bake for 6-10 minutes and large cookies for 10-15 minutes.
Notes:
a) If you’re not going to use your gingerbread dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Refrigerated dough will keep for a week.
b) Molasses Substitute /For 1 cup of molasses use: 1 cup honey, or 1 cup dark corn syrup or 1 cup pure maple syrup. This recipe calls for ½ cup of molasses so use ½ cup of substitute.
c) Store the cookies between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature during 5 days.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." - Luke 18:16
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