I always find the gingerbread cookies selling outside too spicy for my son, I thought he will not like the gingerbread cookies, but I was wrong!
This year I baked the gingerbread cookies just because there will be kids coming over and I think I should make some at home. I searched on the Internet and landed on Food.com's The Most Wonderful Gingerbread Cookies. As I always don't like to have baking powder and baking soda in my cookies, I omitted them totally and I'm glad I did so. The dough was firm and nice to work with.
This is truly an amazing cookies, the kids love it and I think the adults too. May be the gingerbread cookies taste nicer because of great company too! ^^ This recipe is a sure keeper.
Wish you a blessed Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Recipe adapted from Food.com with minor changes
3 cups all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder (omitted)
3/4 tsp baking soda (omitted)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground ginger or minced ginger
1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
6 tbsp unsalted butter, soften
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg (used 2 eggs to bind the dough together)
1/2 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (used 2 tbsp lemon juice)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 190C. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves until well blended.
3. In the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar and eggs on medium speed until well blended.
4. Add molasses, vanilla essence and lemon juice until well blended.
5. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until well blended and smooth.
6. Take the dough out from mixing bowl, knead well and divide into two portions. Wrap in plastic cling and leave on room temperature for at least 2 hours.
7. Flatten dough between two pieces of plastic cling to a thickness of 1/4 inch thick.
8. Cut out cookies with desired cookies cutter (flour the cutter if the dough is too sticky, but I have no problem with the dough)
9. Space cookies 1 inch apart from each other and bake on 190C for 7~10 mins or until the cookies is lightly brown.
10. Remove the baking tray from oven and let the cookies cool down a bit before remove it to wire rack.
11. Decorate the cookies when it is cool down totally.