Gingerbread Girls (and Boys)
Why I Love This Recipe
This is my adaptation of Paula Deen's basic recipe- coz if you want something buttery, sugary, yum- you go to Paula first. Then Judy Rosenberg after that. But, I digress.... I like the more historically "hearty" gingerbread, so I add whole wheat flour. The result is a more classic, old-fashioned taste and texture. These dress up wonderfully in Royal Icing, and keep forever, staying pretty soft, in an airtight container.
Ingredients You'll Need
3/4c Dk brown sugar
1 stick butter
2 lg eggs
1/4c Blackstrap molasses
2 1/2c AP flour
1 1/4c Whole wheat flour
2tsps ginger
1 1/2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
1/2tsp salt
Directions
Cream butter and sugar w/electric mixer on low speed until thoroughly combined. If you bake much, you know it is IMPOSSIBLE to overdo this step. I use a stand mixer, so I can leave it on while I write my memiors. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each, then molasses, until combined. In a separate bowl, sift remaining ingredients together well. Slowly and methodically add the dry mix to the creamed mix, using a spatula to scrape the sides as needed, and perhaps to finish the combine. The consistency should be one of a thick, pliable, soft dough.
Remove from bowl (it should easily come out in a giant ball; if it doesn't, there's something up) and wrap and seal in plastic wrap. Chill until quite firm, at least 1hr.
Preheat oven to 350d F. Remove dough and allow to sit 10min or so to soften a bit. Meanwhile, line cookie sheets w/parchment.
Roll out between two large pieces of wax paper, 1/2c or so at a time, to 1/8" thickness, and cut into desired shapes. Transfer to sheets w/spatula, and bake for 10min til just beginning to brown around edges. I use the baking time rolling out dough, cutting shapes, and rerolling dough scraps, as this recipe makes quite a large amount of cookies depending on the size of cutters you use. So you will go thru this process repeatedly to bake all your cookies. But, it's a labor of love.
