because my brain wont keep up with me lately, i was forced to make a couple small modifications to anne's completely perfected recipe, but the results, thankfully, were equally delicious.
- i substituted butter for shortening because i didnt have shortening on hand. the cookies turned out just great, but with the butter substitute, i chilled the dough for a couple hours before rolling it out.
- anne's classic recipe uses smarties for buttons on the gingerbread men. i forgot to add them to the grocery list (and all thats left of finn's halloween candy is suckers. bad parents.) so instead, i made this simple icing to drizzle over the top. it was almost as delicious as smarties.
- anne traditionally cuts the dough into gingerbread people shapes, both big and small, but finn recently picked out a snowflake cookie cutter at the store and was adamant we use it when we made these. who am i to argue?
anne's gingerbread cookies
:: ingredients ::
1 cup shortening or butter (or a mix of the two)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
4 cups flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
smarties or simple icing to top
:: directions ::
preheat oven to 325 degrees
in a large bowl, cream together sugar and shortening/ butter
add in molasses and mix until incorporated
beat one add and add to the liquid mixture
in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and spices.
add flour mixture into wet ingredients and mix until combined
flour your surface and roll dough out until 1/3" thick
cut shapes and add smarties (if using)
bake for 10-15 minutes (around 12 minutes is perfect for large shaped gingerbread men or snowflakes)
to avoid breaking, let the cookies cool on the baking tray for a bit before moving to a wire cooling rack. let them cool completely if you plan to ice them.
enjoy!
