Lesson #23 - Classic Gingerbread Cookies
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
In our house we try not to overlap holidays. I must confess that I love the Hallmark Channel and we started watching Christmas movies before Thanksgiving, but I promise that is the only overlap!
Sunday was our first day home from our big Thanksgiving trip and we got right to decorating the house for Christmas! The green and red bins came down from the attic and the smell of pine cones filled the air. The boys bounced around excited as we turned up the Christmas music and began decorating the house.
Jameson couldn’t wait to bake and dove in with a classic Christmas recipe - Gingerbread Cookies.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 30-40 mins
Servings: approx. 2 dozen
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup sugar (topping)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES
STEP ONE:
Are you ready? Jameson is full of energy today.
Mix together the sugar and ground ginger to make the topping. Put it off to the side for later.
STEP TWO:
In another bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Jameson is up to his usually kitchen antics and goofiness.
Our Talking Nutcracker!
STEP THREE:
In the mixing bowl add softened the butter and sugar.
One day we will remember to get the butter out early, but once again we melted it in the microwave. I have been told by a fellow mom that melted butter vs. softened butter can affect the baking process. We are thankful that so far it hasn’t.
STEP FOUR:
Beat in the egg, molasses and fresh ginger.
(You might have to help get the molasses out of the measuring cup and I had to grind the ginger prior to the lesson)
STEP FIVE:
Add the flour mixture slowly into the blender.
If your kid is anything like Jameson they will be tasting the whole time. This part is the best though, nothing is better than some raw dough. Please use your own discretion because there is raw egg in the batter.
STEP SIX:
Take the dough into your hands and roll it into a ball. Then roll the balls into the sugar/ginger mixture you made in Step One.
Jameson had a hard time rolling them into balls so I did that part. He covered them with the topping. Team work makes the dream work!
Once they are all rolled and placed on the cookie sheet, bake them for 15-20 mins.
Watch out - Jameson said it was too sticky so I showed him how sticky it can be and got it on his face! What are moms for?
STEP SEVEN:
After the cookies have been cooled, dig in before your older brother tries to sneak one.
