Gingerbread Cookies
Sugar Cookies
6 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoons ground cloves 1 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 cup molasses
2 ½ cups butter (at room temperature) 2 cups sugar 2 large eggs se eds from 1 vanilla bean (or 3 teaspoons vanilla) 5 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until fluffy. 2. Mix in spices first, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. 3. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder and add to bowl; mix until just combined. 4. Wrap dough in a disc shape in saran wrap. Let it rest by refrigerating until cold, about 1 hour. 5. Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface or between two sheets of parchment paper to about ¼-inch thick. 6. Cut shapes out with cookie cutters and place them approximately 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 7. Refrigerate until firm; at least 15 minutes to 1 hour. 8. Bake cookies until lightly golden; 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
1. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low to medium speed. (Use the paddle attachment). Mix until thoroughly incorporated–for about one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more. 2. Add eggs slowly and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula at least once and mix again. 3. Cut open your vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out. Add to mixing bowl. Alternatively, add liquid vanilla extract. Stir briefly. 4. Sift your dry ingredients together. 5. Add all of the flour mixture to the bowl. Place a large tea towel or two small tea towels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won’t escape. Mix on low speed for 3o seconds. Remove the tea towels and observe the dough mixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it’s ready. It’s also important at this stage not to over mix the dough (the glutens in the flour develop and the dough can become tough). 6. Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and into the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
7. Roll out the dough further if you need to, and cut out cookie shapes. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. 8. Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again. 9. Preheat your oven to 350° F. 10. Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. 11. Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate.
Royal Icing /4 cup warm water 5 t ablespoons meringue powder 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 ¼ lbs. powdered sugar *Note: If your meringue powder has no vanilla flavor in it, add a teaspoon of clear vanilla to this recipe.
3
1. In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened, about 30 seconds. 2. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more. 3. Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer. 4. Using the paddle attachment on the lowest speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy. 5. Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying. 6. Tint with food colourings or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency. download recipes