These were one of my cookies from the Christmas season that didn’t quite get finished. I spent hours working on them, but when it came down to it, I just ran out of time. Such a shame.. I forgot how much time rolled out cookies really take.
I baked batches of these and left them in a ziploc bag for days after Christmas had passed. I even left them undecorated because royal icing is just too time consuming. My friend came over and took a bite of a gingerbread cookie, despite me telling him that they were old, and took the whole bag home. These gingerbread cookies didn’t really taste like gingerbread cookies.. they tasted more like… well, I don’t even know. A little bland? Not very gingery?
Not that they were bad, they weren’t. But they weren’t fantastic. They did have some good characteristics, though… the cookie was sturdy, the outside was crisp, and the inside was soft and crumbly. I guess you win some, you lose some. You can’t have the best of both worlds!
From Sweet Pea’s Kitchen
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
- Cream the butter into the flour mixture until combined. Next, add the molasses and milk and mix until it forms a uniform dough.
- Divide dough in half and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll out the dough into 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.
- Gather scraps and repeat process #5 until the dough is all used up.
- Place cookies about 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes.
- Decorate as desired with royal icing if desired.
Sorry these didn’t live up to your expectations, but the texture of these sounds perfect! I am a softie for a great ginger cookie!
I agree that gingerbread cookies are difficult because it’s hard to find a recipe that suits everyone’s tastes. I tried the Perfect Gingerbread Men from the Food Network magazine this Christmas, and they were awesome. My link is here: http://www.dreamingofwhitechocolate.com/2010/12/gingerbread-men.html
It can be so tough to work in enough time for the elaborate stuff during the holidays. The texture does sound lovely though.
http://kranberriesjuicies.blogspot.com/2011/01/help-by-beatles.html
I will do ANYTHING if you just read that link I put up there, I really need help and you’re a creative person! Please just take a look :] if you can’t help, it’s okay… just at least comment that you read it?
Also, 😀 I follow you… follow me back pretty please? :*
I’m going to try these cookies, and I’m so excited to do so. Gingerbread can be overwhelming to me, I really love it but the taste is a bit too much for me, as I like light things. So this recipe might just be my best friend :] thanks for all the wonderful yumminess you provide me!
Hey! Every Christmas I use a similar recipe to make my very favourite Christmas cookies (only my recipe calls them Dutch Heart Cookies because it substitutes all-spice or pumpkin spice for ginger). You might have more luck with this one:
1/3 c. butter or margarine (brick style)
¾ c brown sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
2 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice or all spice
1 ½ tsp cloves (powdered)
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ c flour
1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy (approx. 3-5 min). Hint: When all of the sugar melts into the butter the mixture will turn lighter in colour and become fluffy in texture.
2. Add egg and beat.
3. Combine dry ingredients and then add to batter. Stir until well mixed (may need to use hands). If
mixture is too dry add up to 2 tsp cold water (but it’s not usually necessary).
4. Roll out 1/4″ thick and cut into shapes.
5. Bake at 325 for 10 min. Hint: Don’t crowd cookies as they spread slightly during baking.
I make these cookies every year and have found through trial and error to practically triple the amount of spices the original recipe suggests. I agree that they are a pretty mild cookie, but I actually ENJOY that, so they work for me.
FYI: These cookies remain soft & chewy for days — my mother baked them and sent them in a care package from Canada to South Korea and they were still SO good!