I think of gingerbread as a gift—a recipe passed down over generations of mothers and grandmothers around the world, arriving on the holiday table in all forms of cakes and cookies and varying degrees of spice. These cookies have a delicate flavor and a soft interior with a lovely light glaze. Please share them this holiday season with everyone you know to be a child at heart.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dried ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ⅓ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Preparation
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter with both sugars and beat on medium to combine, 2–3 minutes. Add the egg and beat again just to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the molasses, fresh ginger and vinegar to the bowl and beat just to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Add crystallized ginger and beat just to mix it in.
On a clean work surface, scrap the dough out of the bowl and form into a disk. Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
While dough is resting, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from the refrigerator and place on a well-floured surface. Roll the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut star shapes with a cookie cutter and, using a metal spatula, place the cookies on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Collect the scraps and roll into another disk. Reroll the dough and cut more shapes, placing them on another baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.
While the cookies bake, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar with the milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. The glaze should run freely from the whisk.
When the cookies are done, remove from the oven and let sit for 2 minutes before applying the glaze. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cooling rack. Let the cookies cool completely before storing them in a single layer.
About this recipe
Jennifer’s tips for better cookies:
• Freeze fresh ginger. When fully frozen, peel with a metal spoon and use a Microplane grater to grate the ginger before adding it to the dough.
• When rolling dough, lift and turn the dough a few times, dusting with flour as needed.
• Use an inexpensive ¾-inch acrylic paint brush to glaze cookies.
• Use simple cut shapes as the dough tends to puff and rise.
