Gingerbread cookies

There are many reasons to bake cookies at home: the cold, wanting to give someone a gift, spending a pleasant time with the little ones in the kitchen, or simply enjoying a homemade sweet. This time Rosa, author of Pemberley Cup&Cakes, suggests a staple you can't miss at this time of year: the most delicious ginger cookie recipe you can make. Bet you can't resist?

There are certain flavors and aromas that make us travel sensorially through time and sometimes also through space. And that's exactly what happens to me with ginger cookies. While this may not be a practice present in all of our homes, it is certainly a bite full of tradition and reminiscences filled with countless delicious nuances.

Making ginger cookies is not only very simple, it's an extremely pleasant and fun task that will only get better if we can recruit an extra pair of hands (or two; the more the better) to share such a comforting moment as making good homemade cookies. Because that's what it's about—sharing, right?

However, this time I was especially excited to dress them up for the occasion, so instead of giving them the classic "gingerbread man" shape, I reached for my cookie stamps "All seasons" from Nordic Ware, which I simply find beautiful. But it doesn't end there: stamping our cookies with them turns an already satisfying task into an experience I'd even call thrilling.

It's clear that at this time of year there are countless reasons and options to get into the kitchen and prepare everything from the most sumptuous and elaborate dishes to the simplest recipes, but no less festive and celebrated. And with that excuse, I'll leave you with my stamped ginger cookies that are eager to reach your table.

Set of Kitchen Craft measuring spoons, Kitchen Craft measuring Set and All Season Nordic Ware cookie stamps

Ingredients (for 12 large cookies)

All ingredients should be at room temperature unless otherwise stated

• 250gr all-purpose wheat flour (+ extra flour for handling the dough)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
• A pinch of salt
• 60gr unsalted butter
• 80gr brown sugar
• 125gr molasses or cane honey
• 1 egg yolk (L)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Icing sugar, to decorate (optional)

Method

1. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well using a pair of whisks and set aside.
2. In the bowl of our KitchenAid stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon) beat the butter for a couple of minutes at medium speed until soft and creamy.
3. Now add the brown sugar and beat for another 3 - 4 minutes at medium-high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy and noticeably paler in color.
4. Next, reduce the speed, add the egg yolk and mix until fully incorporated.
5. Then add the molasses and the vanilla extract and mix well until you have a uniform mixture.
6. Now incorporate the dry ingredients you set aside (step 1) in two batches and mix gently until there are no visible traces of flour. You will obtain a somewhat crumbly and very sticky dough.
7. Turn the mixture out onto a sheet of plastic wrap large enough to wrap it well, close it and shape it into a ball through the wrap. Press slightly with the palm of your hand and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or even overnight) until the dough is completely firm and solid.
8. Once ready, divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 45gr each) and reshape each portion into a ball.
9. Next, flour the work surface on one side and on the other grease our cookie stamps (I used the "All Seasons" by Nordic Ware) with a light layer of non-stick spray or sunflower oil (you can apply it easily with a pastry brush) and start stamping our cookies, pressing the stamp evenly over each ball of dough until you see it reach the edge*. Re-grease the stamps whenever necessary (I usually do it every two cookies). To detach the cookies from the stamps, slightly separate the edge of the dough around the rim of the stamp with your fingertips and the cookie will come away gently from the stamp surface.
10. With the help of a flat spatula, also floured, place the ginger cookies on the baking tray with about 2 cm between each. In these cases, I always use my De Buyer non-stick tray because I don't need to grease it or cover it with any baking paper. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate again for 15 minutes, this way the relief of the designs will remain well defined even after baking.
11. Meanwhile, preheat the oven (electric and without fan) to 180ºC with top and bottom heat and place the oven rack in the central position.
12. Bake our cookies for about 10-12 minutes (depending on whether you want them more or less crispy) until the edges begin to brown very slightly.
13. Remove from the oven and leave the cookies on the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring them carefully with the spatula to a cooling rack to cool completely.
14. When serving, you can dust them with a little icing sugar to give them an even more Christmassy touch.

They keep up to 5 days at room temperature well protected from air in an airtight container.

De Buyer non-stick oven tray mechanical Tellier scale, All Season Nordic Ware cookie stamps and Birkmann cooling rack

Notes

• *If you want perfectly defined edges, you can finish trimming them with a round cookie cutter the same diameter as the stamps.
• The variety and amounts of each spice can be adjusted to individual taste, although in my opinion ginger and cinnamon are indispensable in this recipe.
• A common practice is to hang some ginger cookies on the Christmas tree as decoration. If you want to try, just pierce them with a straw a few millimeters from the edge right before placing them in the oven. Once cold, thread the hole with a pretty ribbon or string and you're done!
• If necessary (it happens sometimes), you can double the quantities indicated in the recipe and make twice as many cookies, except for the egg yolk, where instead of two, you would use one whole egg. That way you can also make extra cookies to give away.
• Once baked, as soon as they are completely cool, ginger cookies can be frozen for up to 2-3 months, well wrapped first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil.

I say goodbye to this year and to all of you with my best wishes. See you soon!

A hug,

Rosa