Cyber Monday comes along and you are relieved that the rush of Black Friday and Thanksgiving are finally over for another year. Sadly, at the same time, you realize that Christmas is in less than two weeks. You think to yourself, “I just finished Thanksgiving, now I have Christmas?” Presents are waiting to be bought or wrapped, a location must be put in place, and the food must be decided. Out of all the things about the holidays, the food is the most important, but not just any food will do. You can’t just pop a TV dinner in the microwave and call dinner done. Even if the food is already planned, you might not have any idea what to create with your baking hands for people with a sweet tooth. Do you make chocolate covered pretzels, or pies, or even fudge? For me, cookies are my go to sweet tooth aid. During the holidays there is only one cookie that remains on the highest pedestal. This cookie is the epitome of the holiday season. Have you figured out what I am talking about yet? For those who haven’t, it is gingerbread cookies. How does one make such a grand cookie? Have no fear, my fair reader; I am here to the rescue once more.
First off, you must get the supplies that will soon turn into a family of gingerbread people. You need ¾ cups of softened butter, 1 cup of packed Brown sugar, 1 egg, ¾ molasses, 4 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 and ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 and ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon ground cloves. Wow, that was a mouthful. Now for the preparation; take your softened butter and brown sugar until the two become fluffy and light. Beat in the egg and the molasses then combine the dry ingredients (flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt) and slowly add to the mixture of previous ingredients. Take this beautiful mixture of ingredients and place it, covered, in your fridge for four hours, overnight, or until it is easy to handle. (Waiting, waiting, waiting…)
After that waiting time has been suffered through, take the dough from the fridge and place on a floured surface and take a rolling pin until it is about an 1/8th of an inch thick. Find a cookie cutter of a gingerbread man (or anything you wish, be creative make gingerbread trees if you want. They are your cookies you know) and cut out your man or woman. Place the gingerbread about two inches apart from one another on an un-greased cookie sheet (I know it might look cute if the gingerbread people are holding hands, but it’s a hassle). If you have some scraps after your gingerbread people have all been placed on the cookie sheet, you can cut the scraps into triangles to create little hats on top of your cookies. What ever you do with your men and women are your business, but in order to eat them, they must be baked at 350 degrees for about eight or nine minutes, or until the edges are firm. Take them out of the oven and let those cookies chill.
Now comes the fun part, icing! Take any vanilla frosting of your choice; add a little food coloring and ta-da! You have color to add to you cookies. You now have wonderful cookies that the whole family can enjoy and bring back so many memories. Have a safe and happy holiday season.
First off, you must get the supplies that will soon turn into a family of gingerbread people. You need ¾ cups of softened butter, 1 cup of packed Brown sugar, 1 egg, ¾ molasses, 4 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 and ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 and ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon ground cloves. Wow, that was a mouthful. Now for the preparation; take your softened butter and brown sugar until the two become fluffy and light. Beat in the egg and the molasses then combine the dry ingredients (flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt) and slowly add to the mixture of previous ingredients. Take this beautiful mixture of ingredients and place it, covered, in your fridge for four hours, overnight, or until it is easy to handle. (Waiting, waiting, waiting…)
After that waiting time has been suffered through, take the dough from the fridge and place on a floured surface and take a rolling pin until it is about an 1/8th of an inch thick. Find a cookie cutter of a gingerbread man (or anything you wish, be creative make gingerbread trees if you want. They are your cookies you know) and cut out your man or woman. Place the gingerbread about two inches apart from one another on an un-greased cookie sheet (I know it might look cute if the gingerbread people are holding hands, but it’s a hassle). If you have some scraps after your gingerbread people have all been placed on the cookie sheet, you can cut the scraps into triangles to create little hats on top of your cookies. What ever you do with your men and women are your business, but in order to eat them, they must be baked at 350 degrees for about eight or nine minutes, or until the edges are firm. Take them out of the oven and let those cookies chill.
Now comes the fun part, icing! Take any vanilla frosting of your choice; add a little food coloring and ta-da! You have color to add to you cookies. You now have wonderful cookies that the whole family can enjoy and bring back so many memories. Have a safe and happy holiday season.