Gingerbread Cookies are as good a reason as any to bring up a touchy subject we all face now and then. Holiday dread.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas and all the other reasons and holidays we celebrate this time of year. But there’s one part of the season that gets me a little down. Christmas Cookies. Just the phrase “Christmas Cookies” brings up visions of sugar plum fairies ransacking my kitchen– leaving a sticky silver and gold sugary residue across everything in sight.
Which can only mean one thing, it’s not the holiday mayhem or even the Christmas cookies themselves I dread. It’s those dadgum cookie decorations. They can be so tedious and fussy. That’s where these Christmas Gingerbread Cookies come in. They’re every bit as festive as any cookie dribbled with syrupy food dye, but they’re a breeze to make at half the calories.
It starts with a solid recipe from Martha Stewart that I spiced up. Her standard Gingerbread Cookies are rolled out and cut into elaborate holiday shapes. I realize that’s the classic way to go, but I don’t see the point of all that fuss and muss. Because the main reason cookie cutters were invented was to open the door to cookie decorating. I’m sure you know what cookie decorating leads to. That’s right, way too much sugar, messy food dyes, sticky counters, and neat little piles of gingerbread men bound and gagged with red and green ribbons. I don’t think so. Not my style.
Because if I want Christmas Gingerbread Cookies– I want them now. So my extra gingery version gets made in advance. The dough is kept in the fridge or freezer until the cookie monster strikes. Then in true slice and bake style, I have fresh from the oven homemade cookies in 10–12 minutes. Any time, any day… even Christmas Day.
However, I realize it’s the holidays. Despite my snark, I’m not immune to a little Christmas cheer. So I’ve dipped these Christmas Gingerbread Cookies in sparkly turbinado sugar crystals. Even if I don’t much like cookie decorating, a little Christmas bling never hurt no cookie. GREG
Slice and Bake Gingerbread Cookies
Print This Recipe Yield 24Source adapted from Martha StewartPublishedYou may alternatively freeze the log of dough and slice and bake these cookies frozen.
Ingredients
- 3 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon ginger, fresh, peeled, and finely grated
- ½ cup unsulfured molasses
- ⅓‑½ cup turbinado or demerara sugar
Directions
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, spices, and baking soda.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and grated ginger on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in molasses. Beat in flour mixture in batches until the dough just comes together.
Shape dough into a log about 12 inches long and 3 inches in diameter; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours (or up to overnight, see note).
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Pour the turbinado or demerara sugar into a shallow bowl or sloped plate. Line two or three baking sheets (depending on size) with parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking sheets. Slice dough into 24 slices about ½‑inch thick. Dip one side of cookie in the turbinado or demerara sugar. Place, sugar-side up, onto the baking sheets, spacing each cookie 2 inches apart. Bake until surfaces crack slightly, about 10–12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
That is my kind of bling!
I love a simple cookie so much more than the fancy ones and gingerbread is perfect for serving up flavor without all the fuss. Love the sugar topping — simply wonderful!
Yeah, there will be no fancy Christmas cookie making here, either. Rolling dough balls in sugar is about all I have the patience for. I may break out the turbinado in your honor when I make my gingersnaps—they’re quite sparkly and festive!
Greg — I was thinking of you this morning around 5:00 as I was baking my molasses crinkles and writing next week’s blog post. You and I share some “cookie dread blood” and I was laughing this morning as I was writing about it. Your gingerbread cookes look wonderful — and I suppose a lot like my molasses crinkles! Great minds, my friend… great minds.
I know where you are coming from with cookie decorating. I had a bag of turquoise icing rip as I was decorating cookies and had it head to foot all over myself and three feet in all directions in my kitchen. Your gingerbread cookies sound easy, the sugar crystals make them festive and I’m sure they are delicious.
I hate decorating cookies. There I said it. I usually think it would be fun, then about ten cookies in, I’m bored stiff and still have 20 to go! And how on earth did the icing get THERE? Honestly, I didn’t even have that part of my body exposed! Don’t get me started on sprinkles!!!
Your gingerbread sounds and looks wonderful, particularly the no fuss sparkly sugar!
Love the warm spices of gingerbread. These are beautiful Greg. Thanks for sharing them.
Velva
I’m completely on the page with you, Greg. Not much into cookie decoration, although the sugar sprinkle is just the right touch. I love Gingerbread cookies, and don’t have a favorite recipe, so I’m eager to give this one a try.
Yes please! I do love to bake, but decorating is not for me! Love these slice and bakes!
Right in that spirit. Years ago I made ginger bread cookies and topped with ginger salt. So good.
These are the perfect gingerbread cookies! I’m with you on the decorating — too much fuss, too messy, and too often don’t even taste all that good. Besides, I’m decorating-challanged. 🙂 Good stuff — thanks.
These are absolutely gorgeous!
“…visions of sugar plum fairies ransacking my kitchen — leaving a sticky silver and gold sugary residue across everything in sight” and “…neat little piles of gingerbread men bound and gagged with red and green ribbons”… Now *that* is delicious writing! (And SO spot on!)
Couldn’t agree more about traditional Christmas cookies. Love ’em, but royal icing is a royal pain. Sparkly turbinado sugar crystals, however, are perfection!
They look delicious!! Love gingerbread anything.
Happy Holidays Greg!
I also like the slice and bake idea. I have been dealing with sticky dough and it is a pain in the butt . Delicious looking cookies and I like all the ginger.
Slice and bake–what a way to go! You are so right about the sticky counters and dough sticking to rolling pins and all–even when you go to the effort to mix up the icing etc.…