Get into the festive spirit with these delightful little gingerbread men. Infused with warm spices, the delicious cookies get their rich color from Black strap molasses.
Topped with a lemon icing, the cookies are fun to make and even more fun to eat.
Depending on the size of your cookie cutters, this recipe can yield up to 36 cookies.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 12 minutes
Yield: 36
Ingredients:
- 390g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 113g (1/2 cup)unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 120 ml Blackstrap molasses
- ***LEMON ICING***
- 2 cups pure icing sugar
- 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
- Prepare the gingerbread men. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy -- for about 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until fully incorporated.
- Divide the dough in half, and roll into balls. Flatten slightly then wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours or even overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Spray two baking sheets with oil then line with baking paper. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Dip gingerbread cutter in flour and cut out the cookies. Use a spatula to gently lift the cut out cookies onto the baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for about 8 - 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. Smaller cookies will take about 8 minutes, white the larger cookies will take about 12 minutes. The gingerbread are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown very slightly.
- Remove cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minutes. When they are firm enough to move, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sift icing sugar. Add lemon juice and stir until well combined. Divide icing between a piping bag fitted with a 4mm plain nozzle and a piping bag fitted with a 4mm fluted nozzle, and pipe onto cookies to decorate. Set aside for 1 hour to set. Serve.