1/27/10

gingerbread cookies

Just a quick post to thank everyone who sent me well wishes with the move to my new home. I am finally in and have left the money pit behind. Good riddance right? I have a normal house now; one with a working newer stove, a working newer fridge, heat, concrete foundation, etc... Goodbye to the days of ocean water in the basement, families of racoons living in the attic, crappy landlords, fridges in the living room, oh I could go on and on. Right now as I type this I have mountains of boxes to unpack, a kitchen that is partially together, not to mention lots of stress. But everyone tells me the stress will decrease as the days pass--I hope.
Obviously I'm not doing any baking, but thought I'd share a post with you from the days when I had a working oven...way before Thanksgiving. Here is a recipe and photo from my archives (I need to weed through the archives more as I have a lot of stored up recipes and photos).
I'll try my best to keep up with posting and replies on all your blogs--I miss you guys dearly. And miss all your blog posts.

As for these cookies, they are the perfect gingerbread cookies, you will never need another recipe. It hails from the folks at America's Test Kitchen. You can make them flat or thick. And trust me when I say, it has the perfect balance of flavors; nothing too strong nor too weak.

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
from Baking Illustrated
print recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons milk

In a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Process about 10 seconds until combined.
Scatter the butter pieces over the dry mixture and process again until the mixture is fine and sandy, about 15 seconds.
With the machine still on, slowly pour in the molasses and milk and process until the dough forms a soft moist mass, about 10 seconds. It will be VERY soft and sticky. (This dough can also be made in a stand mixer).
Divide the dough into roughly two portions. Place one portion between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll out to about 1/4" thick. Repeat with the other portion of dough.
Leaving the dough between sheets of parchment, stack on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Take one of the dough sheets from the freezer and peel off the top parchment sheet, then replace. Flip the dough over and remove the other parchment sheet.
Use desired cutters to cut shapes out of the dough, and transfer to the baking sheets with a metal spatula. The scraps may be gathered and rerolled to be cut into more shapes.
Bake cookies until they just slightly give in the middle when pressed, about 8 to 11 minutes, rotating sheets halfway. Do not overbake or they will became hard crispy gingerbread.
Let cool on sheets for a couple of minutes, then remove and finish cooling on wire racks. Makes about 30 cookies

48 comments:

  1. These look amazing and probably just what the doctor ordered for an otherwise grumpy tummy!

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  2. Welcome to your new home Dawn! Very happy for you! We missed you too! :)

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  3. WOohoo!!! Hooray for a new home with a new stove and a new oven. Now you make cook and bake to your hearts content. I want to see pics of the new digs. ;-D

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  4. hooooooooooooooooray for the new home! You must be so so excited. As much of a pain as unpacking is, its kind of nice to be able to organize from scratch. These cookies are so pretty- love the drizzle

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  5. Those are so sweet!! So glad you are all moved in! Hoping you get settled in quickly-- moving sucks! :)

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  6. These are just lovely--picture perfect!

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  7. Got the kitchen unpacked already, you go girl! Even though the old place was bad, I think you have some memories you are going to laugh at, not yet of course, but soon!! I have those horror stories myself- like when Himself and I got married he prided himself on our entertainment center made out of ARMY green ammo boxes, yes the real ones with M16 stenciled on the sides! Crazy man.

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  8. Yay to comfort! (And no money suckage?) :) This is my go-to recipe for gingerbread as well (was on my blog a long while back!), so I know they are delicious :)

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  9. New homes are so exciting!! Congrats, Dawn! :)

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  10. I can't wait to see what you crank out of your new kitchen! I'm so happy you have a place to call your own :)

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  11. glad you're in your new home!!! hope the move wasn't too hairy, and you're settling in your kitchen :)

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  12. Its good to know that you're finally at your new house. The gingerbread cookies look fantastic.

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  13. any recipe using an entire tablespoon of cinnamon is a-ok in my book. perfectly flat and chewy cookies, dawn--bravo.

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  14. Always love gingerbread-any time of year!

    So happy that you're finally in your new, sweet home! My only advice? Keep unpacking till you've emptied and put away everything, or 2 years from now, you'll be going "Damn! I need ____, but it's in one of the boxes we didn't unpack!"

    I unpacked everything--worked straight for a week, but was so happy.

    Congrats!!!

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  15. Yea! for a working house!

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  16. Great lookin cookies and congrats again on the new home.

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  17. ...fridges in the living room? Oh man. I'm glad everything went well, I know just how much moving sucks. Heh, I'm still not fully unpacked myself.

    The cookies look awesome, great picture.

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  18. Hope you're getting settled in to the new house!! Can't wait to see what else you have been holding out on us :)

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  19. Moving's a stinker all right. Sometimes I would get up and look at all the boxes stacked to the ceiling and get VERY depressed. The only way is to look at one box at a time. And deal with it. But I'm happy you're happy in your new home.
    Love gingerbread anything! And yours look super.

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  20. SO glad you have gotten moved! I know moving is a big pile of stress but sounds like you're in a much better place. I can't wait to see what you come up with now that you have a better space & equipment to work with. In the meantime, consider the unpacking a zen-like experience (okay, well, at least TRY to make it zen-like). :-) Take care girl!

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  21. Yeah, you're in...these cookies are beautiful!!

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  22. three whopping cheers - how great for you!

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  23. You'll definitely enjoy the process of getting settled in the new home -- and new kitchen! Take your time; everything doesn't have to get done at once. It will feel so good when you're unpacked and everything is arranged just the way you want it.

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  24. Yay for the new house! It must be so exciting and exhausting at the same time. These cookies look fabulous. You really know how to dress things up!

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  25. Congrats on your new home! The cookies look tasty and so pretty too. I love gingerbread!

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  26. Congrats on your new crib. YOu should have left some shrimp in the curtain rods. They would beging to stink to high heavens after a few days..and you ex landlord would freak out trying to figure out where the stinch was coming from! LOL..I am evil!

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  27. These look scrumptious. Glad you are happy in your new place.

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  28. Wow! I love your site!!!!! :D

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  29. Home sweet home, right!? I wish that you were able to bake, because maybe that would help with the stress part. In fact, these would make a great housewarming...for yourself! Plus, now you don't have to hide them from any raccoons. :D Wishing you many happy memories in your new abode.

    Best,
    Casey

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  30. Congrats on the new home! These look delish.

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  31. Congrats on your new place and good luck unpacking and organizing your kitchen! I love chocolate on gingerbread cookies - yum!

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  32. Glad to hear your have a new home and new everything!! Pictures, please?

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  33. Dawn these look so good.

    Congrats on you new move! Unpacking boxes is a big chore but the good thing is that you see what you need and dont need and you get to organize a little. Being the anal person I am- I love that.

    Best wishes in your new home!

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  34. I am so excited for you and the new house! Enjoy my friend! I love these cookies btw! Wish I had one for breakfast even!

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  35. These look wonderful. Congratulations on your new home. I hope that this house brings you peace, happiness and a joyful baking!

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  36. Yay for new homes! Happy unpacking - it can be a lot of fun picking out just the right spots for your stuff. I could live with a fridge in the LR but ocean water in the basement and critters in the attic?! All in the past!

    Have fun baking and blogging in your new home. These cookies are tasty teasers of what's yet to come!

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  37. Congratulations on your move!! I can imagine how excited you were to be out of your old house...

    Looking forward to your posts in your new home.

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  38. What an awesome pic of the cookies! Enjoy your new home. Lookinf forward to pics of the new kitchen.

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  39. yeah! I'm so glad you're out of there! Now you can bake a cake to celebrate in your new oven. woo hoo!

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  40. So glad to hear you're in your new place! Can't wait to new picutres of your new crib.

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  41. These look like ooey-gooey heaven! I can't wait to try them and hopefully convert my husband into a sweets lover, haha! Thanks for sharing!

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  42. Those look perfect!!

    -Dawn

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  43. i don't really like to bake all that much, other than my flan, so would you mind sending me some, please! I love GB cookies!!! :)

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  44. Glad that I came across your blog! You have really good treats posted up here!

    The cookies look like store-bought ones! Remind me so much of my days in the U.S. Would love try the recipe out someday to bring back those good ol' memories! Thanks for sharing! Will keep coming back! =)

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  45. New house, new stove new oven oh you got it made girl Best of wishes

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  46. Congratulations on your move and I am so happy to have found your website. I think I gained wait just reading all the lovely things you bake and especially chewy molasses cookies, my favorite. I am a happy new follower and if you get a chance feel free stop by my website as well. http://bamskitchen.com/

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