This post should have gone up before Christmas, but it was part of some gifts so I didn’t want to ruin the surprise. I made these gingerbread cookies the same day I made Pecan Fingers and 7 Layer Bars. I’ve made gingerbread cookies in the past, but have usually made them in plain circles, gingersnaps, right? When I’ve made them in shapes, I’ve never decorated them, so it was kind of fun to make the frosting and use the redhots to make the cookies pretty.
Recipe below -
Eileen’s Spicy Gingerbread Men
Submitted by: STEPH67
“Spicy gingerbread men. This is the only recipe we have ever used. For best flavor, do NOT use blackstrap molasses.”
Original recipe yield: 2 1/2 dozen.
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 30
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg yolk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.
Crissy // Jan 9, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Ahh! They’re so cute!
You know, Alton Brown did a cookie episode of “Good Eats” recently in which he advocated the use of plastic cookie cutters over metal ones, but is it just me, or are the plastic ones much harder to find these days?
tien // Jan 9, 2006 at 1:16 pm
are those red hots?
and you need to get a job! you’re going to cook yourself out of house and home!
rachelle // Jan 9, 2006 at 2:31 pm
tien – i actually made these about 4-5 weeks ago when i DID have a job!
crissy – do you remember why the plastic is better? i got this set of cutters at crate & barrel
dad // Jan 9, 2006 at 3:22 pm
The cookies were great
Had them gone in 2 days
Thanks
Dad
Crissy // Jan 9, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Here’s what the always-entertaining Mr. Brown says in the episode “The Cookie Clause”:
“Oh. Metal cookie cutters. Well, that’s nice. You know, one of the reasons that I own plastic cookie cutters, and have never once asked for metal cookie cutters for Christmas, is because plastic is very, very durable. They’re very, very reliable. They never rust—these [metal ones]rust at the drop of a hat—and of course, these [plastic ones] never bend, whereas these [metal ones] bend very easily. [crushes metal angel-shaped cutter with ease]”
(Partial transcript courtesy goodeatsfanpage.com.)
Of course, your mileage may vary!
rachelle // Jan 9, 2006 at 3:45 pm
oh. cool. i was afraid he was going to say that the metal reacted with the dough or something!
e d scott // Jan 9, 2006 at 4:01 pm
1) Those gingerbread people/canines look WONDERFUL. Mine must have gotten lost in the mail, because I don’t remember getting any.
2) Pecans have fingers?!
3) I use cookie cutters made of lead.
Nan // Jan 9, 2006 at 4:39 pm
hey yeah – i didn’t get any cookies on my presents?! ha ha
maybe next year!
tien // Jan 9, 2006 at 5:18 pm
fine fine. in that case, where were my cookies??