German Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread men are a Christmas must have! These one have a nice buttery cookie base and all of the spices are likely to already be in your spice cabinet. They will make converts of those who don't think they like these spicy little fellas! 

     These gingerbread cookies are perfect for cutting out into shapes and decorating.  We love them at Christmas time, but they are really fabulous any time of the year.  Cut them into gingerbread men and decorate them with royal icing for an extra special treat. They have just the right mix of spice and sweet and a wonderful texture as well. Make a batch and see for yourself!

     Let me tell you the story about how two paths converged to make these cookies.  First, when I was searching for cookie cutters to make the cinnamon brown sugar cookies for Ro's baby shower I found a goat cookie cutter in MiMi's cutters.  My father-in-law loves gingerbread cookies and he has recently become a goat farmer, so I just knew I had to make him gingerbread goats!

    On the other hand, we were at my aunt and uncle's for dinner the other night when my cousin Emily came home for Christmas break.  She said she wanted to bake some gingerbread cookies as she loved them and it was Christmas.

    We left that night with a plan to bake cookies together while she was home from school.  Sometimes things are just meant to be!

    Little did I know the next morning I would wake up in a cookie baking mood.  So I gave her a call and went to making the dough!

    MiMi came to help bake cookies too. We had a great time baking gingerbread and sugar cookies together and ended up with a lot of sweet creations.

    They both came back the next day to help decorate them with royal frosting.  It was so much fun to bake and decorate with them!

    I started using this recipe after a massive gingerbread cookie recipe search last year.  I went through what seemed like hundreds of recipes before I settled on making this one.

    I liked that it is a butter recipe.  I don't cook with shortening.  I don't mind if you do, I just tend not to as it is my preference to use butter.


     It also didn't cause for any exotic ingredients I would only use once.  I was very happy with the way the cookies turned out.

    I am sure you will be too.  They are the perfect combination of spice and sweet.

    They are sturdy but have a nice soft chew.  Even people who didn't think they liked gingerbread loved these cookies and went back for more!

Yield: Lots of cookies (varies widely based on size of cutters you use)Author: Cooking With Carlee

German Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread men are a Christmas must have! These one have a nice buttery cookie base and all of the spices are likely to already be in your spice cabinet. They will make converts of those who don't think they like these spicy little fellas!

prep time: 4 hour and 10 MINScook time: 30 MINStotal time: 4 hours and 40 mins

ingredients:

• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

instructions

1. Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
2. In your mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. 
3. Add the molasses, egg and vanilla.  Beat until uniform.
4. Add in flour about 1/3 at a time, stirring until just combined between additions.
5. Once dough comes together, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F.
7. Working with about 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll on a floured surface to about 1/8" thick. Cut into desired shapes and place on cookies sheet.
8. Bake for about 8 minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheets for a couple of minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
9. Use royal icing to decorate and enjoy!

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Copyright: Cooking With Carlee 2017

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