Hello gingerbread cookies!!!

These are such a classic holiday cookie, and make the house smell like Christmas!  I decided to add a few animals in addition to the traditional gingerbread person, and I'm kind of in love with them.  Although I realized that I desperately need to find a little deer cookie cutter!

So, more about this recipe.  It's small, and totally no-fuss!  I know the old gingerbread recipe we had was quite an ordeal, and wasn't the most relaxing thing to do...haha.  I love how easy this one is!  I also don't really worry about overbaking my gingerbread since I prefer my gingerbread cookies a bit crunchy!

gingerbread cookies

recipe slightly adapted from: Eileen - allrecipes
yields: 20-30 cookies (depending on the size you make them)

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Stir in molasses and egg yolk, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until smooth.

The dough will probably look a bit crumbly at this point.  Don't worry about it!  Cover dough with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4-inch thick.  Cut out shapes, and place the cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets (or on a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat).  

*If you find your dough is getting harder to work with as you go, pop it back in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.

Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  For soft, chewy cookies, you'll want to remove the cookies from the oven even if they look slightly doughy in the center.  For crunchy cookies, leave them in for an extra minute.  

*You can always do a test pan with one or two cookies on it to see exactly what result you want, as the timing with each oven will be slightly different.

Decorate your cookies using royal icing, butter cream, melted white chocolate, or whatever your heart desires!  We often add mini m&ms, or other small candies to ours as well.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg yolk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Merry Christmas to you!

-Kelsey