December 09, 2020
Hey All!
It is officially holiday time in my kitchen and I couldn't be more pleased at how all of my goodies have turned out so far! Christmas movies are playing, the tree is lit, and the smell of fresh baked desserts is just the cherry on top of the cake!
One thing I have never really mastered though are sugar cookies. They still turn out tasteful but I can't ever get them to maintain their shape from the cookie cutter.
At least my gingerbread recipe doesn't call to be shaped into little men ;)
This is a typical gingerbread recipe which has been elevated to another level with melted chocolate in the batter. Come to think of it I never tried dipping these in chocolate after baking them but I bet that would be really good!
Enjoy!
Marzee
Email Marzee
GopherArchives
Gingerbread Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup molasses
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
white sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Combine butter or margarine, molasses, and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
Heat until chocolate melts. Stir until smooth. Sift together flour, 2/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt.
Stir in melted chocolate mixture and milk. Mix well. Chill until firm. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar.
Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Yield: 3 Dozen Cookies
Categories: Cookies, Holiday
Need Some Fun Gift Ideas?
You Really Should Watch This Hover Shot Game Video!
|
MARZEE's CORNER
HOMEMADE GINGERBREAD ORNAMENTS
These gingerbread ornaments look and smell like edible gingerbread - but don't eat them! They become very hard after they are baked and are meant to be painted and then hung as Christmas ornaments.
INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp. shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups water
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat shortening and sugar together in a large bowl. Stir in molasses. Sift baking soda, ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon and flour together in a large bowl.
Stir this mixture plus water into the sugar and shortening mixture, alternately adding the water and baking soda mixture to the shortening mixture.
Stir until mixed thoroughly and refrigerate 6-8 hours. Cut dough into three equal pieces, knead each piece lightly and then use a rolling pin to roll out each piece to a 1/4-inch thickness.
Use holiday cookie cutters made in the shapes of gingerbread people and houses to cut shapes out of the dough. Use a medium- to large-sized drinking straw or the end of a wooden chopstick to make a hole at the top of each shape.
Put cookies on cookie sheets and bake for about 20 minutes. Turn oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven. This will help harden the cookies.
Place cookies on racks to completely harden. Place racks in a cool, dry place and let sit for two to three days.
Coat cookies with clear acrylic or varnish and allow cookies to dry thoroughly. Paint cookies with acrylic paints as desired. Allow paint to dry thoroughly. Thread a 5- to 6-inch length of narrow ribbon or cording through the hole at the top of each ornament. Knot ends and hang ornaments.
Yield: approx. 15-20 depending on the size you make
|