soft & chewy gingerbread cookies . . . a Winter treat

Gingerbread cookies should be enjoyed THROUGHOUT the Winter months, and not only in December!

It's warm flavors and aroma are heavenly when it's cold outside. 

I can't help but smile, when I smell gingerbread cookies baking in the oven!

I shared this recipe with you last month when I baked 9-inch tall Gingerbread Cookie Boys & a Girl for my nephews and niece. It's an annual holiday tradition. You can see them, here.

While we were away, I had thoughts of making gingerbread cookies when we got home . . . so I baked up a batch over the weekend . . . and added snowflakes using melted Almond Bark and edible snow glitter.  

It's my favorite gingerbread cookie recipe! I LOVE that they're tender, chewy, and moist! 

We enjoyed ours warm, right out of the oven, with HOT cocoa . . . YUM!

It was a fun (and delicious) way to celebrate a rainy weekend at home!

I also had fun piping our initials on the cookies, too!

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.

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