Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies
Course:
Dessert
Seasonal Event:
Christmas
“The Hutch Oven” creator Emily Hutchinson is making the world a sweeter place with her Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup (227 grams) salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 3⁄4 cup (165 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1⁄4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (50 grams)
- 11⁄2 teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla extract
- 1⁄4 cup (85 grams) unsulphured molasses
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
- 11⁄2 teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground ginger
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
AMERICAN CRUSTING BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup (227 grams) salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 1 cup (184 grams) vegetable shortening, softened
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
- 9 cups (1,080 grams) confectioners’
- Sugar, sifted
- 5 to 6 tablespoons (75 to 90 grams)
- 2% reduced-fat milk or heavy whipping cream
DIRECTIONS:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. With the mixer on low speed, add egg and vanilla; beat for about 30 seconds. We aren’t whipping the wet mix.
- Beat in molasses just until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat at low speed until combined. (dough will be slightly sticky.)
- Turn out dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°f (190°c). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use a non-stick cookie sheet.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one-third of dough to 1⁄3- to 1⁄4-inch thickness. (keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll.) Using desired holiday cutters, cut dough, and place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Reroll and cut scraps as needed, refrigerating dough if it becomes too soft.
- Bake until puffed and center is matte,
- 6 to 8 minutes. Using a small offset spatula, quickly press edges of cookies back into shape, if necessary. Let cool on pans for 1 minute. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks. Keeping the dough cold will prevent spreading.
- Pipe or spread American crusting buttercream onto cooled cookies as desired.
NOTES: To help the flour stick to your work surface, gently press your dough on the clean surface before dusting the surface with flour.
To roll your dough to an even thickness, roll slowly up and down and then to the sides. If you run your hand across the top of your rolled dough, you can feel any bumps or slightly raised areas.
Alternatively, this dough can be rolled out between sheets of parchment paper.
I prefer to freeze the cookies overnight because it gives them added moisture to keep them soft.
For extra spice, add more cloves and nutmeg to the recipe.
AMERICAN CRUSTING BUTTERCREAM DIRECTIONS:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening at medium speed until well combined.
- Add vanilla and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Add confectioners’ sugar and place a kitchen towel over the mixer. (the bowl of the stand mixer will be full.)
- Beat at low speed and gradually increase speed to medium speed until thick and combined. (do not overmix.)
- Add 5 tablespoons (75 grams) milk or cream, and beat at medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute; add up to remaining 1 tablespoon (15 grams) milk or cream, 1 teaspoon (5 grams) at a time, if too thick. (do not overmix.)
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. The buttercream recipe can be cut in half- add 2.5-3 tbsp milk to the halved ingredients.