Best 14 Moira Hodgsons Gingerbread Cookies Recipes

BASIC GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in spices and salt. Add eggs and molasses; mix well. With the machine on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, and beat until combined. Divide the dough into thirds, and wrap each piece of dough in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpat nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into gingerbread boys and girls. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.
• To decorate cookies: Press currants into dough to create buttons. Bake cookies until crisp but not darkened, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Decorate cooled cookies with Royal Icing.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat together the butter, treacle, brown sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, then beat through all of the remaining dry ingredients apart from the caster sugar. Chill the mixture in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll the mixture into 20 even-sized balls (weighing for accuracy, if you like). Tip the caster sugar onto a small plate, then add each ball and roll around to coat. Space each ball out on the baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

NATASHA AND ATRINA'S GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, spices and baking powder in the bowl of an electric mixer. At low speed, add the sugar, bacon drippings, syrup and cream. Blend thoroughly and continue to mix for about five minutes.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface for about one minute. Divide the dough in four equal parts and wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly butter 4 to 6 cookie sheets and set aside.
• Roll out each section of dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of an eighth-inch. Using varied cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and remove each shape carefully with a metal spatula and place them a half-inch apart on the buttered cookie sheets. Form the remaining dough into a small ball and roll out the dough again until most of it has been used. Decorate the cookies and bake for about four to five minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for one minute. Remove the cookies with a metal spatula to a clean surface covered with wax paper and allow to cool. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

GINGERBREAD MAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Add flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt to a mixing bowl and mix.
• Add the butter pieces and use a pastry blender to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles fine meal.
• With a mixer running on low speed gradually add the molasses and milk and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Divide the dough in half, forming each into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, until firm, if you're in a hurry.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove one dough sheet from the fridge/freezer and place on the counter. Roll out the dough (use a little flour on your rolling pin if needed), until it's about ½ inch thick. Cut gingerbread men and place them on prepared baking sheets.
• Refrigerate the gingerbread men for 5 minutes (meanwhile you can roll out the other dough ball).
• Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes (depending on the size of your cookie cutter). Do not overbake!!
• Remove the cookies to a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.
• Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

MOIRA HODGSON'S GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix together the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the molasses and sugar. Beat in the spice mixture completely, then the water, then the egg.
• Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the butter mixture into the well. Stir about a quarter of the flour, the part closest to the center, into the molasses-butter mixture. Stir in half the remaining flour, then the rest. When all the flour has been incorporated, turn the dough out onto a board and knead until just smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight or up to two weeks.
• When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the baking sheets. Roll out some of the dough an eighth of an inch thick, keeping the rest well wrapped in plastic. Cut into shapes with a five-inch cookie cutter. Bake the cookies on their sheets for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, gently lift off the cookies with a spatula and cool them on a rack. Make the rest of the cookies the same way. Decorate the cooled gingerbread or leave plain.

LOUISIANA GINGERBREAD (STAGE PLANKS OR MULE BELLIES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a rimmed sheet pan and line it with buttered parchment paper. In a small pan, melt molasses, shortening and ginger together over low heat. Transfer to mixer and mix at medium speed until well blended and slightly cooled, about 3 minutes. Mix in sugar.
• Dissolve baking soda in a tablespoon of hot water and mix into molasses mixture. Working in alternating batches and mixing well after each addition, mix in buttermilk and flour; batter should be quite stiff, not runny. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time, if needed.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake in lower third of oven 10 to 12 minutes, until risen and firm. Cool in pan on rack. Cut into rectangles or use cookie cutters to make shapes.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg, and whisk together. Set aside for a minute.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Drizzle in the molasses, mixing well and scraping the bowl halfway through if necessary. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the maple extract and mix well. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating until just combined after each addition. The dough will be pretty dense and slightly dry to the touch -- that's the way you want it! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Roll the dough out 1/3 inch thick (rolling between two sheets of plastic wrap will keep the rolling pin from sticking). Cut using any cutters you like, and transfer onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are baked through but still soft, 16 to 18 minutes.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one cookie sheet.
• Mix together the molasses, brown sugar, water and shortening.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Add to sugar mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on floured board. Cut with floured gingerbread cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool and decorate with frosting.

GINGERBREAD CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle, about 4 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake until edges are firm, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Tint some of the frosting red and some green; leave remaining frosting plain. Decorate cookies.

SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the molasses, brown sugar, water and butter until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon, stir them into the wet mixture until all of the dry is absorbed. Cover the dough and chill for at least 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out into desired shapes. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

GINGER GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Liberally grease a 5- by 9-inch loaf pan.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients, including the sugars and spices, and mix on low speed to blend evenly. Add the butter and mix until blended. Add the fresh ginger, buttermilk, molasses, eggs and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Fold in the crystallized ginger.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until lightly browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. You can also bake this in an 8- by 8-inch square pan. Simply reduce the baking time to 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Unmold onto a wire rack, and let cool slightly or completely. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses and egg. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients; mix just until a dough forms. Place dough on floured plastic wrap; pat into an 8-inch square. Wrap well; chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time (rewrap and refrigerate other half), place dough on floured parchment or waxed paper; roll out 1/8 inch thick, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Freeze dough (on paper) until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes, and transfer to baking sheets. Decorate with sugar or sprinkles, as desired.
• Bake until firm and edges just begin to darken, 10 to 18 minutes, depending on size. Cool completely on baking sheets.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix together the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the molasses and sugar. Beat in the spice mixture and blend completely. Blend in the water, then the egg.
• Place the flour in a large bowl and make a large well in the center. Pour the butter mixture into the well. Stir about one quarter of the flour, the part closest to the center, into the butter mixture. Gradually stir in the rest of the remaining flour. When all the flour has been incorporated, turn the dough out onto a board and knead just until smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight, or up to two weeks.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two baking sheets.
• Roll out some of the dough until it is 1/8-inch thick, keeping the rest well wrapped in plastic. Cut into men, candy canes, trees or other shapes with a 5-inch cookie cutter. Continue rolling and cutting the rest of the dough.
• Bake the cookies on the sheets for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, gently lift off the cookies with a spatula and cool them on a rack.

ENGLISH GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10-inch by 8-inch by 2 1/2-inch square cake tin and line it with grease-proof paper on the bottom and sides. Brush with one to two tablespoons melted margarine.
• Combine the remaining margarine in a small saucepan with the molasses and corn syrup and heat gently until melted. Remove from heat. Sift the bicarbonate of soda, plain and whole wheat flours (returning the whole wheat "flakes" left in the seive) into a large bowl.
• If using a food processor, put half the flour with the eggs, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger into the bowl fitted with the steel blade. Add the margarine-molasses mixture and process until smooth. Add the remaining flour (the bowl will be quite full) and process, adding a little milk if necessary to make a smooth mixture of dropping consistency. If working by hand, beat the eggs and add them one by one to the margarine mixture. Add to the flour with the sugar and spices and blend until smooth.
• Add the crystallized ginger and raisins to the mixture and turn it into the prepared tin. Bake in the center of the oven for one-and-a-half to two hours or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The gingerbread should have begun to shrink away from the sides of the tin and the center should be springy to the touch.
• Remove the gingerbread from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Brush the top liberally with molasses and sprinkle with chopped ginger, pressing the pieces into the surface. Allow to cool and remove from the baking tin. At this point the gingerbread can be cut into four loaves and stored separately in airtight cake tins. It keeps for several weeks in a cake tin but it may also be frozen.