No food says Christmas like gingerbread cookies, just like no feeling says the holidays like baking with family and friends. That’s why we’ve come up with a recipe for gingerbread cookies that’s easy to make with more than one person! While you can make these cookies by yourself, embrace the holiday spirit and invite the grandkids over, or even a friendly neighbor from across the street. You’ll appreciate the extra set of hands when it’s time to cut the dough into fun shapes, or when you’re ready to frost the freshly baked gingerbread cookies. And – this recipe is easily halved (see the half-batch recipe below).
Yield
Conversions
Cookie Ingredients
5½
cups flour
1
cups butter
softened
2
tsp baking soda
½
tsp salt
2
tbsp ground ginger
2
tbsp ground cinnamon
2
tbsp ground allspice
2
tbsp ground cloves
½
cups brown sugar
1
egg
½
cups sugar
1
cups molasses
Cookie Ingredients
3
cups powdered sugar
⅓
cups butter
softened
1
tsp vanilla
extract
1
tsp almond extract
Cookie Preparation
Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugars. When well blended, add the egg and molasses and beat until smooth. Slowly add the flour mixture on a low speed until it’s completely blended.
Divide the dough into 2 balls. Put them in a tightly covered container and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Prepare a surface to roll out the dough; we recommend a clean, dry countertop. Sprinkle the countertop with flour. Keep the flour bin close by, because you’ll have to add flour as you go to keep the dough from sticking. (Now is a good time to put on an apron!)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
After chilling the dough for 30 minutes, place one of the balls of dough on the floured surface and pat with your hands to flatten, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Using a rolling pin (or a clean wine bottle or other cylindrical item), roll dough to approximately ¼” thick.
Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes, and gently place the cut-outs on a non-stick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave an inch or so between the cookies on the cookie sheet. Pick up all the dough scraps and knead them together. Roll out again, adding flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking to the counter or the rolling pin, and cut more shapes.
Repeat the rolling process with the second ball of dough. Bake the cookies on the center rack of your oven for 9-12 minutes. Test one or two cookies to make sure the center is cooked through.
Cool the cookies on a wire rack. Use a clean pastry brush to “dust off” excess flour on the cookies.
Icing Preparation
With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat sugar, butter, vanilla and almond extracts on a low speed until blended.
Add milk by the tablespoon until desired consistency is reached (probably about 3-4 tablespoons). Add less milk for a thicker frosting if you’re planning on using an icing bag to decorate. Add more milk for a thinner frosting if you’re just going to spread the frosting on the cookie. Then, frost the gingerbread cookies and get ready to enjoy!
