Recipes

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies make for a fun family baking day. Use any shape cookie cutter you want and decorate to your heart’s desire. Recipe courtesy of Manitoba Egg Farmers.

Prep Time:: 10 min
Cook Time:: 12 min

Ingredients

Cookies

4 cups ( 1 L ) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ( 15 mL ) ground ginger
2 tsp ( 10 mL ) cinnamon
¼ tsp ( 1.25 mL ) cloves
¼ tsp ( 1.25 mL ) nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ( 7.5 mL ) baking powder
½ cup ( 125 mL ) shortening
½ cup ( 125 mL ) butter
1 3/4 cup ( 440 mL ) brown sugar
⅓ cup ( 75 mL ) molasses
2 eggs

Butter Icing

1 1/2 cups ( 375 mL ) icing sugar
3 tbsp ( 45 mL ) butter, softened
1 tbsp ( 15 mL ) vanilla extract
1 tbsp ( 15 mL ) milk
3 drops food colouring (optional)

Instructions

Cookies

In a medium sized bowl, place flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and baking powder and combine with a fork. In a large bowl, place the shortening, butter and brown sugar and cream together with an electric mixer; add molasses and beat until blended. Break the eggs into the sugar mixture and beat until eggs are completely blended in. Add half the flour mixture with the butter mixture and stir to combine. Add remainder of the flour mixture and continue blending. Mixture will be thick. Lightly flour a clean kitchen surface and roll out the dough to ¼-inch (0.6 cm) thickness. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using cookie cutter, cut out gingerbread men and gingerbread ladies, and place on parchment paper. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 12 – 13 minutes.

Icing

Combine icing sugar, butter, vanilla and milk, beating until creamy. Thin with a few more drops of milk (if necessary) to reach desired spreading consistency. Stir in optional food colouring or leave icing white. Spread frosting over cooled cookies.
Decorate with your choice of candies and sprinkles.

Notes

Makes approximately 2 ½ dozen cookies, depending on size of cookie cutter.