Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2″ piece fresh ginger, grated (optional)
- Zest of 1 orange (optional)
- 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper (optional)
- Sugar Cookie Icing for decorating
- Sprinkles for decorating
Method
In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and molasses until fluffy, about two minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, spices, baking soda and salt until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, as well as fresh ginger, orange zest and black pepper (if using), until dough just comes together.
Divide dough in half and create two discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about two to three hours.
Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one disc of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll until 1/4″ thick. Cut out gingerbread men with a 3″ wide cutter and transfer to baking sheets.
Bake until slightly puffed and set, nine to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie cutters. Let cool on baking sheets for five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Repeat with remaining disc of dough. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) Country Crock Baking Sticks
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp red food coloring
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Method
Preheat oven to 325° and line two baking sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat Country Crock Baking Sticks and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat after each addition, then add vanilla and red food coloring. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Roll about one tablespoon dough into a ball, then roll ball in powdered sugar. Repeat with remaining dough, then reroll each ball in powdered sugar again.
Arrange balls about 1″ apart on prepared baking sheets and bake until cookies have flattened and set in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes.
Let cool on trays five minutes, then transfer to wire rack to let cool completely.
Candy Cane Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa
For the peppermint frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- Water
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Red gel icing color
- 12 mini candy canes, crushed
Method
Preheat oven to 375° and line a cookie sheet with parchment. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat sugar and butter just until smooth. Add egg and milk and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together baking powder, flour and cocoa, then add to wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Drop level tablespoons of cookie dough onto prepared cooking sheet.
Bake until edges are set and centers look mostly done, six to eight minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for two to three minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Make frosting: Beat butter until smooth. Add half the powdered sugar and mix until smooth, then add vanilla and peppermint extracts, two tablespoons water, and a pinch of salt and mix until smooth.
Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add red gel color to color frosting to your desired shade of red.
To assemble the cookie sandwiches, spread or pipe frosting onto one cookie, then add second cookie.
Place crushed candy canes on a plate and roll cookie sandwiches so candy canes stick to frosting.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp almond extract
- Red food coloring
- Sprinkles
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together. Add egg and beat until incorporated, then add extract. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
Divide dough in half, keeping one half in mixing bowl. Add red food coloring and mix until desired color is reached. Shape each dough into a square that is roughly ½” thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Place red dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a rectangle that’s about 1/4″ thick. Repeat with white dough. Take top sheet of parchment paper off of each dough. Place red dough on top of white dough, dough sides facing each other. Gently press on top of dough to help seal together.
Remove top parchment paper and trim sides to match up evenly. Starting on a long side, use the bottom parchment paper to help roll dough tightly in to a log. Roll log on the counter a few times to help seal the edge. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour and up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place sprinkles on a medium plate. Using a sharp knife, slice cookies 1/2″ thick and roll edges in sprinkles. Place on baking sheets 2″ apart.
Bake until edges are set and just starting to turn golden, 10 minutes.
Dreidel Cookies with a Surprise
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural vegetable shortening
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 5 cups flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp orange juice
- Royal blue icing
- Small chocolate gelt, unwrapped
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the shortening, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt all at once and combine. With the mixer running at low speed, slowly add in the orange juice.
If the dough is very sticky, refrigerate before trying to roll out.
Divide the dough into three sections.
Cut two pieces of parchment paper the size of the cookie sheet. Lightly flour one sheet of paper. Place one section of dough on the paper. Sprinkle lightly with flour and top with the second piece of paper. Roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out the dreidels for the top and the bottom, leaving at least an inch of space between the cookies. Remove the scraps from around the cookies, but do not move the cookies. If the cutter is not completely symmetrical cut half of the cookies in the reverse (flip the cookie cutter over to do this). Roll out a second section of dough in the same way to cut the middle cookies. Cut out the dreidels and remove the scraps. Using a small cutter or the back of a decorating tip, cut out the center of each dreidel, leaving a ½ inch border on each side.
Repeat until all the dough is gone. Freeze the cookies until firm, approximately 15 minutes.
Bake the cookies 8–10 minutes or until light brown at the edges. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
To assemble the cookies take the first dreidel cookie and lay it upside down so that the baked bottom is facing up. Outline the dreidel with royal icing.
Put the middle cookie on top of the frosting glue and place the unwrapped gelt in the open center. Put another outline of frosting glue on the middle cookie and place the opposite-cut dreidel cookie on top. Let these sit and harden for at least 30 minutes before decorating the top with royal icing and sprinkles.
Cookie dough recipe adapted from Lil Miss Cakes.
