old-fashioned gingerbread cookies

I love gingerbread! 
 
Whether it's a moist gingerbread loaf, tender cookies, or gingerbread holiday bars . . . there's just nothing that says "It's the holidays!" like gingerbread! 

I bake 9-inch TALL Gingerbread Cookies for my niece and nephews every year. I make extras for my little ones and friends, too.  

It's a simple, yet special, tradition that not only fills my house with the warm smell gingerbread, but these cute cookies bring smiles too! 

I've researched and sampled gingerbread cookie recipes over the years, and THIS ONE is my absolute favorite! It yields a very flavorful cookie that is moist and tender. They are incredibly delicious (and addicting)!  

For ease and good flavor, I decorate them with Almond Bark. I think white and vanilla chocolate are a wonderful compliment to gingerbread cookies!

So grab your holiday sprinkles and rolling pin . . . and bake a few Gingerbread Girls & Boys this holiday season! 

gingerbread cookies

bakes 10-20 cookies depending on size of cookie cutter
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5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses

6 small blocks of Almond Bark, melted (found in the baking section of your local market)

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Preparation
Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Reduce speed to low. 

Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Divide dough into 3 portions, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

On a generously floured piece of parchment, roll dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Brush off excess flour. Slide dough and parchment onto baking sheets, and freeze for 15 minutes.

Cut out desired shapes. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, and freeze for 15 minutes.

Bake cookies for 12 minutes. 

Cookie TIPS . . . 
You'll notice that the cookies will be puffy when you take them out of the oven, but they will deflate a little as they cool. 

If you desire a flatter Gingerbread Cookie, then remove sheets from oven, and tap them firmly on counter to flatten the cookies. Return to oven, rotating sheets, and bake until crisp but not darkened, 4 to 6 minutes more. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Follow melting directions on the Almond Bark package, and spoon into a Wilton squeeze bottle, or spoon melted white candy into a pastry bag with a very small plain round tip (such as Ateco #0 or #1) to pipe designs onto the cookies.  You can also use a Ziploc bag. Let cookies stand at room temperature until set, at least 2 hours (preferably overnight). Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

Here are a few of them 

wrapped in clear cellophane and tied with ribbon . . .

 

 Happy holiday baking!

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