Shelly's Recipe

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Category: Cookies

2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg white, room temperature
1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (2 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside. Combine egg and egg white in a small bowl, whisking to blend. Set aside.

Put butter in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Begin beating on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat about 3 minutes, or until light and creamy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar along with molasses, ginger and cinnamon, and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add egg mixture, then flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. When dough is well-blended, remove bowl and scrape paddle clean.

Divide dough in half and form each piece into a disk. Cover each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours to chill thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick silicone baking mats or parchment paper (or use nonstick baking sheets or lightly butter conventional baking sheets). Set aside.

Lightly flour a clean, flat work surface. Remove 1 piece of dough from the fridge. Unwrap and place it on the floured surface. Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the cookies using cutters or other forms. Using an offset spatula, place the cut-out cookies, about 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets.

When all of the cookies are formed, transfer to refrigerator to chill about 15 minutes before baking. This final chill helps the cookies keep their shape during baking. Remove from refrigerator and place in the oven. Bake about 15 minutes, or just until slightly colored around the edges. Remove from oven, and using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Store, airtight, at room temperature for up to a week.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Notes: This dough was super easy to work with. I used a star cookie cutter and decorated the cookies with sanding sugar and dragees or edible pearls.

If you want a high sheen on the cookies, lightly coat them with egg wash before baking. Egg wash: vigorously whisk 1 whole egg with 1 tablespoon water, milk or cream.