Did you know Gingerbread cookie dough should be made ahead of time and refrigerated or even frozen? Since I don’t make these cookies often, I missed this step thinking my kiddos would have Gingerbread cookies in no time.When I finally got around to making this dough, my bright idea is making two kinds of dough while I have a mess and freeze sugar cookie dough and freeze the leftover Gingerbread men for another decorating sessions. We had quite a few leftovers that will freeze well in a container. Call me the Freezer Fairy, I’ll mysteriously pull these from the freezer for them to decorate later.
And the cookies were a hit with my preschooler and grade-school kids too!
I love how she is savoring the cookie. Since Mom has many others stowed away in the freezer, we can make these homemade goodies frequently over Christmas break.
Recipe Source: McCormick
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Ginger, Ground
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1- 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions
- Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days or freeze for another decorating day.
Have you ever seen an alien Gingerbread man?
Now you have, made personally by my six-year-old son!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!