The holiday season has a lot of perks, baking in your flannel pajamas being one of them. There’s nothing quite like it! There are so many great holiday cookie recipes floating around out there, but one classic that you can’t forgo is gingerbread cookies.
In my family, it’s a tradition to make them together – from baking to decorating. One of my all-time favorite recipes comes from the Minimalist Baker. I have adapted this recipe below from hers. If you are vegan or gluten-free, follow hers for substitutions.
PLEASE NOTE: This is one of those recipes that you will need to chill the dough for at least an hour before making. There is no way around this!
Gingerbread Cookies
Oven: 350ºF
Bake Time: 8-12 minutes
Ingredients:
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup almond butter
• ¼ cup molasses
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients, EXCEPT FLOUR, to a large bowl and mix on low until well combined.
2. Gradually add in ½ cup of flour at a time, until batter forms. Use your hands to knead the dough if necessary.
3. Roll dough into a ball, place back in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. Take out the dough and roll out flat (using a rolling pin). Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes – little gingerbread men, Christmas trees, etc. Get crazy!
5. Transfer dough cutouts to a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350ºF for 8-12 minutes, or until brown. If you prefer your cookies to be soft and chewy on the inside, opt for less time. Crunchy? More time.
If you would like to decorate your little guys, you’ll need to make icing.
For icing, you will need:
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tbs milk or water
Mix together – add more or less water for consistency. If you want to get really creative, you can add some food coloring and have a few different options. Other optional decor:
• Sprinkles
• Colored sugar
• Mini chocolate chips
• Candy
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