Gingerbread Cookies for the Holidays

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks lightly salted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 orange, zested
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup additional for rolling, if needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground dry ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon orange liqueur
• 1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup

Details

Servings 72
Preparation time 40mins
Cooking time 65mins
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, add butter, sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, molasses and lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

When butter and sugar are integrated, lower speed of mixer and add dry ingredients. Add egg mixture and when blended, remove bowl from machine. Divide cookie dough in half. Press first half of dough in between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with second half. This step will make it easier to finish rolling out the dough when it has chilled. It will also mean you only have half of dough getting warm as you roll it.

Lightly flour flat surface. Use floured rolling pin to gently roll first half of dough about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly flour cookie cutter(s) and cut shapes, making as few scraps as possible. Use metal spatula to gently transfer them, cookie by cookie, (cookies should be similar size) to a baking sheet. Repeat with other half of dough and transfer them to another baking sheet. A note about crowding the tray(s): these particular cookies can spread a little. Leave room between cookies. Better to use 3 baking sheets with fewer cookies than to crowd them on 2 trays. Bake until brown around edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Form scraps into ball, press it flat and chill in refrigerator. These cookies may be a little more "tough" because dough will have been worked a little more than others.

+Easy Orange Frosting:+
In medium bowl add all of ingredients and whisk together to combine. If too thick in consistency, add a touch more orange juice or water to thin out.

Use pastry bag fitted with star tip to pipe frosting between 2 gingerbread cookies. Press 2 cookies halves gently together.

The Variation:

Springerle, German anise-flavored cookies, for delicate molds (and carved rolling pins) used to make them. Simply dust decorative molds (or rolling pin) with flour, shaking lightly to remove any excess. Roll dough very thin (between 1/2 and 1/4-inch thick). Press or roll dough into molds and trace shapes with sharp knife to extract cookies. Arrange them on greased baking sheet (with some space between them) and bake for 6 to 8 minutes.

Not using molds? Scoop batter in teaspoons and roll into balls. Press balls onto greased baking sheet or press with tines of fork to make ridges. Bake until brown around edges, about 10 to 12 minutes.

These cookies are so beautiful, they can stand alone. Or...make gingerbread sandwiches using the above frosting as the filling.