Ginger Delight Fresh Gingerbread And Spicy Ginger Cookies Recipes

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar and barley malt syrup until smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the egg and continue to mix until completely incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again and add the vanilla, fresh ginger and orange zest.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Mix until just combined. Then, turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Cover completely in the plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
• Roll the dough out about 1/4 inch thick between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment paper. Place the rolled out dough onto parchment on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Cut the dough with cookie cutters and place onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. You can gather scraps together and reroll the dough 1 additional time.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until just beginning to brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.
• For the royal icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (see Cook's Note), add the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder and beat to combine. Add 4 tablespoons of warm water and beat to combine. Raise the paddle head to check the consistency of the icing; the icing should be thick and smooth, but not dripping from the paddle. Add more water until the desired consistency is reached. (You can add slightly more water to achieve a flooding consistency to completely cover the cookies; use a stiffer consistency to pipe decorations and details.) Immediately transfer the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small open tip. Decorate the gingerbread cookies.

THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
• Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
• Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
• Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.

GINGER-LEMON DELIGHTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie ingredients until very soft dough forms (dough will be sticky).
• On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough with 1 tablespoon-size cookie scoop or by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir powdered sugar, lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth. Spread glaze on cookies. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger.

FRESH GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat ginger, butter, and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Gently fold in flour mixture until just combined. Chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll them in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake until edges start to brown, about 15 minutes. Centers will be slightly soft. Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute and remove to racks to cool completely.

SPICY GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Whisk brown sugar, shortening, butter, molasses, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl until glossy; fold in flour until dough is just-combined.
• Pour coarse sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll dough into 48 balls. Roll balls in sugar and place 2-inches apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cookies crack, about 9 minutes.

SPICY GINGER SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, lemon peel and egg yolk with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in 1 1/4 cups flour and the five-spice powder until dough holds together. Stir in ginger and pecans.
• Place dough on smooth surface sprinkled with 1 tablespoon flour. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 6-inch log. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring once, until softened and chips can be stirred smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and water. Add additional water, if needed, to achieve glaze consistency. Drizzle glaze over cookies. Let stand until set.

SOFT, SPICY, HEAVENLY GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the molasses.
• Mix the water and baking soda and stir.
• Sift together the flour, salt, and dry spices; add gradually to the sugar-margarine mixture.
• Gradually stir the sifted ingredients, along with the ginger and raisins, into the molasses mixture.
• Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
• (The dough may be too soft to handle at this point- I suggest either adding a bit of flour, or refrigerating for 20 minutes[or even overnight]).
• Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.

GINGER DELIGHT: FRESH GINGERBREAD AND SPICY GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease a cake tin with 1 teaspoons of butter.
• Tap in 1 teaspoons of flour to the tin so that the tin is lightly dusted with flour.
• In a clean bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and the spices.
• Beat the egg into a large bowl.
• Add brown sugar and cream well.
• Fold in the butter, molasses and ginger.
• Pour in the coffee and vanilla essence. Mix well to combine.
• Now, add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternating with each other. Keep mixing as you gradually add these to the bread batter.
• Pour the prepared batter into the greased and floured cake tin.
• To distribute the batter evenly in the tin, beginning at the edge of the bread, move your index finger in a spiral through the top 1/4 inch of the batter until you reach the centre.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a thin, sharp knife inserted in the centre of the bread comes out clean.
• Cool the bread on a wire rack for 20 minutes and then unmould carefully by running a knife around the edges of the pan and then inverting the bread onto a rack.
• Allow it to cool completely.
• Place the bread upside down on a plate.
• Sift the confectioner's sugar on top of the bread, slice and serve!
• Note: If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can prepare it at home. Here's how:.
• Take 3/4 cup of milk and add the juice of 1 lemon to it. Do not mix. Let the mixture curdle. After 10 minutes, mix and use instead of buttermilk.
• For the Spicy Ginger Cookies:.
• Combine the sugar, baking soda, ginger, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and cayenne in a bowl.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar mixture until it appears pale and fluffy.
• Add maple syrup or honey and the molasses and beat well.
• Fold in the flour, one cup at a time.
• If the dough is too dry, you may stir in the milk.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
• Shape into 4(9-by-1-inch) logs.
• Wrap in plastic wrap or clingfilm.
• Refrigerate for atleast 24 hours or freeze the dough for upto 2 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator many hours before slicing.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Use a sharp thin knife to slice the dough into 1/8 inch-thickness discs.
• Arrange discs on cookie sheets.
• Bake for 9-11 minutes, i.e., until the cookies are firm and just beginning to brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
• Enjoy!
• Note: The amount of pepper can be cut back on and the cayenne omitted altogether for a less spicy cookie.

CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium, melt butter until foamy, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking butter, stirring and scraping frequently with a stiff silicone spatula, until the sputtering has subsided and the butter solids look deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then whisk in the fresh ginger and ground spices. Scrape the butter and any brown bits at the bottom into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Set aside until cool, slightly solid, but still creamy, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.
• Add confectioners' sugar, molasses, vanilla, salt and baking soda to the cooled butter. Mix on low with the paddle attachment, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, until creamy and combined, about 1 minute.
• Add the egg and mix on medium until pale and fluffy, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, about 2 minutes. Add flour and mix until evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before baking.
• Prepare the sugar coating: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and ground ginger. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Using a #40 cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon portions (30 grams). Roll the portioned cookie dough into balls and coat in the ginger sugar. Arrange on the sheet tray at least 1 inch apart and bake until set and lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

SPARKLY GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or hand-held electric beaters, beat brown sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg, molasses and fresh ginger, and mix until well combined.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
• Divide dough in half and scrape onto two pieces of plastic wrap, wrapping each piece separately into a flat disk. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Use parchment paper or nonstick liners to line 3 baking sheets, or lightly grease them with nonstick cooking spray. (You may need to bake the cookies in batches.)
• On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll one disk of dough 1/8-inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut out all the dough. With a small metal spatula, place the gingerbread cut-outs onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Repeat with remaining dough. You can reroll the scraps once. Collect them from both pieces of dough, smush them together into a disk and chill before rerolling again.
• Bake small cookies for 8 to 12 minutes, and larger ones for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are firm to the touch and their edges are slightly darker in color. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through for even baking.
• Let cookies cool on baking sheets until firm enough to lift, about 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
• To decorate, thin the royal icing with water until it's as thick as heavy cream (thinner than you'd use for piping). Divide it into small bowls (or a muffin tin), and use food coloring to tint it different colors. Use a brush to paint the cookies with icing, and, if you like, use toothpicks to apply more icing to make patterns. Sprinkle with colored sugar or other decorations, if you like, while the icing is still wet. Put the decorated cookies on baking sheets to set, then move them to tins or other airtight containers with parchment between the layers.