Molasses Gingerbread Cookies

i made cookies, christmas cookies, gingerbread cookies.
i made them with everything naughty. hehe.
i think santa would like these.

when i found this recipe online & decided to pinned it on my holiday board, i knew that i would actually find the time to bake them this year. mainly for the fact they would be perfect as gifts for my family, friends & neighbours.

think of how incredible it is to share your baked goods with a friendly neighbour, you know, to help them get into the christmas spirit.

one thing i’m not lacking in life is my holiday spirit. i have bags & bags of it, both in my storage unit & within my heart. i’m that 23 year old who will still have a photograph taken with santa clause because i’ve grown up doing that & i refuse to break a tradition because of my age.

christmas time is all about giving & i believe the best gift is from the oven or fridge. when i started baking these, i thought of my mother & grandmother who are very near to my heart. they were on my mind when i put tray after tray of cookies into the oven at different thicknesses. they like them paper thin whereas i like them thicker, much thicker … luckily i adore them.

i clearly thought about myself as i made this beauty, he is my signature cookie.
i’ll always have pacman in my life, he is never forgotten.
even though he eats my cookies.these cookies are as authentic as they come & i’ll be making them EVERY year.

molasses gingerbread cookies

makes about 25 cookies

ingredients:

6 cups plain flour, plus more for work surface

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (1 x large stick) unsalted butter

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

icing sugar

directions:

sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. set aside.

put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. mix in spices, then eggs and molasses. reduce speed to low. add flour mixture; mix until just combined. divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

preheat oven to 175 degrees. roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. cut with 4-inch christmas-shape cookie cutter. space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 9 to 11 minutes. let cool on sheets on wire racks.

mix icing sugar with water to achieve a thin paste suitable for piping, put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip. pipe desired designs on.