Thursday, December 10, 2015

Gingerbread Snowflakes - Art and Recipe


Today's prompt is "cookies". Our favorite cookies this time of the year is gingerbread. I've made these many times as gifts for friends and family and they are as delicious as they are pretty.

It's been so long since I've baked and I'm out of practice icing the cookies. But these are just for my family so I don't think they care if the icing is not up to par with Martha Stewart.

Speaking of Martha, the recipe comes from her Holiday cookies magazine.


Here is the recipe:

Gingerbread Snowflakes

6 cups all purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (2sticks) butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground pepper (I omit this)
1 1/2 tsp course salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses (most jars come in 12 oz. so I use only 6 oz and sometimes I add corn syrup to make 1cup)

Royal Icing
Sugar for dusting (I use Wilton's sugar sprinkles)

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder into a bowl.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until fluffy.
3. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Add flour mixture. Divide dough in thirds, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. About an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 in thick. Cut out shape and refrigerate for 15 minutes (I usually omit this)
5. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes.
6. Put icing into a plastic bag (if you don't have a piping bag, use any plastic bag and cut the corner slightly. Pipe designs on cookie and sprinkle with sugar.

Royal Icing
1 pound powdered sugar
5 tbsp meringue powder (I use Wilton's)

Mix with scant 1/2 cup water. If too thick, add water a little bit at a time. If too thin, keep mixing.


I hope you try these!!

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