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Gingerbread men and trees with white frosting

Gingerbread Cookies

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Rest Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 dozen
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookies
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ⅓ cup shortening
  • 1 ½ cups dark molasses
  • ⅔ cups water cold
  • 7 cups flour all purpose
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ginger ground
  • 1 tsp allspice ground
  • 1 tsp cinnamon ground
  • 1 tsp cloves ground
  • ½ tsp fine salt
Frosting
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 5 tbsp milk or half-and-half
  • 1 tbsp corn syrup optional
  • food coloring optional

Method
 

Cookies
  1. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. (It may appear a bit separated/lumpy, that is fine!)
  2. Stir in the remaining ingredients until well incorporated.
  3. Separate the dough 2 or 3 times. Wrap each dough ball in cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  5. On a floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough with a floured gingerbread cookie cutter.
  6. On the baking sheet, place cookies about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake for up to 10 minutes, until cookies become light in color. Allow cookies to cool on the baking tray until they can hold their shape before moving them onto a cooling rack. Cool for at least 30-60 minutes before decorating.*
Frosting
  1. In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until desired consistency. Add additional sugar if needed to make the frosting thicker. Add food colouring as desired. Frost cookies and decorate.

Notes

  • Cookies may be soft when removed from the oven. They will harden as they cool. Adjust oven time based on desired texture (soft or hard cookie).
  • For ease, skip out on making your own icing and buy premade icing
  • Adding corn syrup to the icing will create a thicker consistency that will dry quicker