Gingerbread Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

The dough must be chilled for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. The cookies can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I had to bake many batches to finally accomplish the perfect gingerbread cookie. When the dough is rolled thin, it will bake crisp and almost crackerlike. Yet, when rolled thick (my preference), the cookies turn out plump and moist. In either case, the flavor will be complex and almost hot-spicy.

ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg

directions

Cookie Instructions:

1
Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2
Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3
In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter and vegetable shortening until well-combined, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg.
4
Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)
5
To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time, keeping the other disk refrigerated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just warm enough to roll out without cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough has been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it may need a few more minutes.)
6
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick, being sure that the dough isn’t sticking to the work surface (run a long meal spatula or knife under the dough occasionally just to be sure, and dust the surface with more flour, if needed). For softer cookies, roll out slightly thicker. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and transfer to nonstick cookie sheets, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. Gently knead the scraps together and form into another disk. Wrap and chill for 5 minutes before rolling out again to cut out more cookies.
7
Bake, switching the positions of the cookies from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are set and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire cake racks to cool completely. Decorate with Royal Icing. (The cookies can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in airtight containers at room temperature.)

Royal Icing:

1
2 tablespoons Just Whites, an egg white powder
2
6 tablespoons lukewarm water
3
/4 teaspoon almond extract or lemon juice
4
1 box (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar
5
Preparation:
6
In a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer on low, beat egg white powder and confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Gradually beat in water and flavoring; continue beating on high until icing is very thick and glossy, about 6 to 8 minutes.
7
Keep icing covered at all times while not being used. Add food coloring if desired, then spread with a knife over cooled cookies or use a pastry bag to pipe the icing around edges of cookies and make designs.
8
Makes about 2 1/2 cups of Royal Icing.