I rarely, ok, never, follow a recipe. Except today. Today I made gingerbread cookies for my kiddos and used a recipe straight from food.com. It said, “the most wonderful gingerbread cookie” recipe and that’s no lie!
You see, I’ve never in my life made gingerbread. I’ve always wanted to, but I was too cheap to buy molasses. This year I splurged and all I can say is, “WOW”. I will never buy stale gingerbread cookies again.
PS. I did modify the spices a bit. My budget was blown on the molasses, so buying all the spices was a no go. I used pumpkin pie spice and added some clove. It’s what I had on hand and it worked great!!
Gingerbread Cookies (modified version of food.com recipe)
3 cups all-purpose flour – $.75
6 Tbsp unsalted butter – $1.00
3/4 cup dark brown sugar – $.75
1 large egg – $.15
1/2 cup dark molasses – $1.50
1 1/2 tsps baking powder – pantry
3/4 tsp baking soda – pantry
1/4 tsp salt – pantry
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice – pantry
1/4 tsp ground cloves – pantry
2 tsp vanilla – pantryCOST: $4.15
In a deep bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and ground cloves until well blended and nice and light. In another large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg to butter/sugar mixture and blend well. Next, add molasses and vanilla and continue to mix until well combined.
Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet mixture. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, blend until smooth and moderately stiff.
When done, divide finished dough in half and wrap each in plastic.
VERY IMPORTANT: Let dough stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours (or up to 8 hours) before rolling out and shaping.
When dough has rested, preheat oven to 375° and grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Take one portion of your rested dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin, then proceed to roll dough to no thicker than 1/4 inch. Any thicker and your little men will be stubby and fat. However, they will be more soft and chewy. I guess it’s a preference.
Bake for 8 minutes. You can go a minute or two longer if you like them more crispy or if you made them a little thicker.
Allow cookies to stand until firm enough to move. Maybe 2 minutes or so, any longer and they may crack. Place on a wire rack or wax paper and allow to cool completely. After cookies are completely cool, you may decorate.
We used royal icing from Alton Brown.
The icing was a bit on the sweet side, but set up well and was super simple.
Plus, I was able to make it with ingredients I had on hand, so not only was it easy, but affordable.
By the way, in case you’re wondering. We made 12 soccer dudes and dudettess and about 2 more dozen of various other gingerbread men, women, christmas trees and winter gloves. I’d say this recipe nets about 3 dozen cookies.
GRAND TOTAL: $4.25
