Ginger cookies

There are many reasons to bake cookies at home: the cold, wanting to give someone a gift, spending some fun time with the kids in the kitchen or simply enjoying a homemade sweet. This time Rosa, author of Pemberley Cup&Cakes , suggests a basic that can't be missed at this time of year: the most delicious gingerbread cookie recipe you can make. I bet you can't resist!

There are certain flavours and aromas that make us travel sensorially in time and sometimes also in space. And that is precisely what happens to me with gingerbread cookies. Although this may not be a practice that is entirely present in some of our homes, it is certainly a morsel full of tradition and reminiscences filled with an endless number of delicious nuances.

Making gingerbread cookies is not only very easy, it is also a very enjoyable and fun task, which will only get better if we manage to get hold of an extra pair of hands (or two; the more the better) with whom to share a moment as comforting as making good homemade cookies. Because that's what it's all about, sharing, right?

However, this time, I was really looking forward to decorating them for the occasion, so instead of giving them the classic “gingerbread man” shape, I used my Nordic Ware “All Seasons” cookie stamps , which I think are simply beautiful. But that’s not all, because stamping our cookies with them turns the already very rewarding task into an even exciting experience.

It is clear that when these dates arrive, there are an infinite number of reasons and options to get into the kitchen and prepare everything from the most succulent and elaborate dishes to the simplest recipes, but no less festive and celebrated for that. And with this last excuse, I leave you with my stamped gingerbread cookies that are eager to reach your table.

Kitchen Craft Measuring Spoon Set , Kitchen Craft Measuring Set and All Season Nordic Ware Cookie Stamps

Ingredients (for 12 large cookies)

All ingredients must be at room temperature, unless otherwise indicated.

• 250g of all-purpose wheat flour (+ extra flour to manipulate 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 cloves
• A pinch of salt
• 60gr unsalted butter
• 80gr brown sugar
• 125g of molasses or cane honey
• 1 egg yolk (L)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar, to decorate (optional)

Elaboration

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well with a whisk and set aside.
2. In the bowl of our KitchenAid 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 smooth and creamy.
3. Now add the brown sugar and beat for another 3-4 minutes at medium-high speed until the mixture acquires a light, fluffy texture and a noticeably paler color.
4. Next, we reduce the speed, add the egg yolk and mix until it is completely incorporated.
5. Next, add the molasses and vanilla extract and mix well until smooth.
6. Now add the dry ingredients that we had set aside (point 1) in two batches and mix gently until there are no visible traces of flour left. We will obtain a somewhat crumbly and very sticky dough.
7. Pour the mixture onto a sheet of cling film large enough to wrap it well, seal it and shape it into a ball using the film. Flatten it 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, we divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 45g each) and shape each portion into a ball again.
9. Next, flour your work surface on one side and grease your cookie stamps (I used the “All Seasons” model from Nordic Ware ) with a light coat of release spray or sunflower oil (you can easily apply it with a pastry brush ) and stamp your cookies, pressing the stamp evenly onto each ball of dough until you see that it reaches the edge*. Grease the stamps again as needed (I usually do this every two cookies). To remove the cookies from the stamps, lightly separate the edge of the dough around the edge of the stamp with your fingertips and the cookie will gently come off the surface of the stamp.
10. Using a flat spatula, also floured, place the gingerbread cookies on the baking tray, with a gap of about 2 cm between them. In these cases, I always use my De Buyer non-stick baking tray, as I don't need to grease it or cover it with any kind of baking paper. Then cover with cling film and refrigerate again for 15 minutes, so that the relief of the designs will remain well defined even after baking.
11. Meanwhile, preheat the oven (electric and without air) to 180ºC with heat above and below and place the oven rack in the central position.
12. We bake our cookies for about 10-12 minutes (depending on whether we want them more or less crispy) until the edges begin to brown very lightly.
13. Remove from the oven and leave the cookies on the tray for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack with the spatula to cool completely.
14. When serving, we can sprinkle them with a little icing sugar to give them an even more Christmassy touch.

They can be stored for up to 5 days at room temperature, well protected from the air in an airtight container.

De Buyer Non-Stick Baking Sheet , Tellier Mechanical Scale, Nordic Ware All Season Cookie Stamps and Birkmann Cooling Rack

Grades

• *If we want the edges to be perfectly defined, we can finish cutting them out with a round cookie cutter of the same diameter as the stamps.
• The variety and quantities indicated for each spice may vary according to each person's particular taste, although in my opinion ginger and cinnamon seem to be unquestionable in this recipe.
• A fairly common practice is to hang some gingerbread cookies on the Christmas tree as decoration. If you fancy giving it a try, just pierce them with a straw a few millimetres from the edge just before putting them in the oven. Once they have cooled, thread a pretty ribbon or string through the hole and you're done!
• If necessary (which sometimes happens), we can double the quantities indicated in the recipe and make twice as many cookies, except in the case of the egg yolk, in which case we would use one whole egg instead of two. And this way, we can also make extra cookies to give as gifts.
• Once baked, as soon as they have cooled completely, the gingerbread cookies can be frozen for up to 2-3 months, well wrapped in cling film first and then in aluminium foil.

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

A hug,

Pink