I dearly wish I could remember who gave me this recipe because it is one of my favorites and it seems unfair not to give credit. But I do not remember…if it is you, many thanks! I love gingerbread and shortbread so this is a cookie of my dreams! It is simple to pull together and then you can have a blast decorating them for any holiday or for everyday joy! I typically freeze them and dole them our judiciously so that when I NEED one, there is one to be had. All the little (and big) people in your life will love these.
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- possibly a little milk to adjust consistency of icing
Instructions
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
- Whisk the flour, ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and molasses in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until incorporated.
- Roll out the dough until approximately 1/4 – 1/3 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out the cookies with cookie cutters; arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gather the scraps and re-roll to cut out more cookies. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are very slightly brown around the edges. I do not like a super done cookie so I usually bake them for 12 minutes, but you could cook them for 14-16 minutes depending on your oven and how you like your cookies. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before attempting to move them.
- Whisk confectioners sugar and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth and thick. Add desired food coloring. If it is still too thick to work with, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches a consistency with which you are comfortable.
- Transfer the icing to a small resealable bag. Snip a small corner & decorate the cookies, using sprinkles or whatever floats your boat. Let set for a minimum of 15 minutes before storing them in a airtight container. Put wax paper between each layer.
- Enjoy!!!