Gingersnaps, Santa’s New Favorite Cookie!

No matter how busy I may be during the holiday season, I always make time to bake gingersnaps. Ever since my mother-in-law introduced these to me, they have become a household staple from November to January. These cookies are delicious––chewy, spicy, slightly crunchy on the edges, perfect with a cup of coffee or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. And they are just lovely with their golden color and sugar crackle on top.

While these cookies need no improving, I couldn’t help but try out my new reindeer cookie cutter. Except for learning (again!) the hard way that dough must be extra chilled to make cut-out cookies, they were easy and enjoyable to make. Simple white piping along the edge, a cinnamon candy nose, and a mini chocolate chip eye bring these cookies to life. (You can find this cookie cutter at P.S. I Love You Too, in case you’re interested! It comes with a santa hat cutter, too!)

Chewy Gingersnap Cookies

Cream together:
3/4 cup butter, room temp.
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg

Blend together:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom

Mix all ingredients together, adding in the dry ingredients to the wet little by little.

To make classic round cookies, use a cookie scoop (or your hands) to make balls, then roll the balls in white sugar. Place an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. To give as a gift, stack cookies in a mason jar, top with a white paper doily, and make someone quite happy!

To make gingerbread cutout cookies, you must refrigerate the dough until it is firm (overnight, if possible). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll out half of the dough to an even 1/4 inch thickness. (Put the rest of the dough back in the fridge to keep cold.) Dip your cookie cutter in flour for each use. Cut, then place cookie on a cookie sheet, leaving about an inch between cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for six minutes. Let cool completely before decorating. (These turn out a bit harder than the traditional round version, so they’ll hold up nicely when decorating.)

White Icing
Mix together 1.5 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon almond milk (add more as needed), a drop of vanilla extract, and a dash of salt. You want your icing to be thick so it pipes easily.

Decorate reindeer by piping the edge with white icing, then adding a red cinnamon candy for a nose and a mini chocolate chip for an eye.

Aren’t they the cutest? Cute enough to eat, that’s for sure.

And eat them, I will! Try them, friends. I know you’ll love them deerly.
*Sorry for all the animal puns lately. I’ll try to stop. 😉