A perfect recipe to munch on this season
Victoria Marinelli, The Mike Contributor
When the leaves start to change and the fall sweaters come out, I love baking something that reflects the season. Fall is my favourite time of year – crisp, spicy, and oh-so-cozy. My gingerbread recipe embodies all three traits.
Gingerbread Cookie Recipe:
Ingredients (makes 3 dozen):
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup of unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup of firmly packed brown sugar (I use dark but you can use light as well)
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Directions:
- Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl and set aside.
- Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. This is very important – do not under-whip the butter! Make sure there are no sugar clumps left by the end.
- Add molasses, egg, and vanilla to butter and sugar mixture. Mix well. It may look like it is starting to curdle – that’s normal, it’s just the molasses.
- Gradually beat flour mixture into the wet ingredients on low speed until well mixed. I like to add about 2 tablespoons at a time.
- Remove dough from the mixing bowl and press it into a thick, flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Pro tip: the longer it stays in the fridge, the more it will take the spices.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.
- Place 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes (depending on your oven) or until the edges are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. Hint: I use a cool, clean oven rack and put it on top of four glasses. You get more space and don’t have to buy a wire rack you probably won’t use again.
This is one of my favourite recipes that I will make multiple times throughout the fall and winter seasons. These cookies provide the toasty nostalgic feeling of sitting wrapped in a blanket by a crackling fire. They go great with hot chocolate, coffee, and just about everything else. Enjoy!
