Joy Of Cooking Gingerbread Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
• In a large bowl (KitchenAid's great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
• Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
• Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 deg. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 375°.
• Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
• Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
• Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• Cut out cookies with desired cutter-- the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.
• Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies-- very good!).
• Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
• After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.
• I usually brush them with a powdered sugar glaze when I am in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with Royal icing.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, molasses and shortening. Place over medium-low heat and stir just until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and mix in baking soda and 1/4 cup cold water. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Add egg, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; stir to mix well. Add 4 cups flour and mix well, adding up to 1/2 cup more if dough seems sticky. Shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into gingerbread boy shapes with a 5-inch-long cookie cutter. Arrange on baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart, and bake until risen and no longer shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow cookies to cool. If desired, decorate with royal icing and cinnamon candies. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Have all ingredients at room temperature 68-70 degrees F. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease bottom of one 9x9 inch pan or line the bottom with waxed or parchment paper (I did parchment). My tip is to prep everything you need for the recipe; it goes together very quickly. Sift together dry ingredients Beat butter until creamy Gradually add brown sugar and then mix in egg Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended Stir in boiling water into molasses until mixed and then add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined Stir in crystallized, again, just until combined Scrape batter into pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and water. In another bowl, whisk flour, spices, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; placed in covered freezer container, separated with waxed paper. Freeze until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 375°. On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 5-in. moose-shaped cookie cutter. Carefully place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until set, 7-9 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. If desired, pipe with vanilla frosting and decorate with nonpareils. Freeze option: Transfer wrapped disks to a covered freezer container, separated by waxed paper; freeze. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator until soft enough to roll. Prepare and bake as directed.