The perfect gingerbread cookie recipe to make gingerbread house cookies for Christmas! Use in conjunction with our Gingerbread House Cookie Stencil and Cutter Set by Designer Stencils
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, margarine or shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 5 cups flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup water
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy - at least three minutes. Add molasses and beat well. Combine dry ingredients. Add to the batter alternating with the water a little at a time, mixing in each addition until dough consistency. You will have to use your hands to work in the last additions. Divide dough into thirds and shape into balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours, preferably overnight.
Roll out one ball to approximately 1/4 inch thick on floured surface. Carefully cut out the pieces using the Gingerbread House Cookie Stencil and Cutter Set by Designer Stencils and gingerly place them on a non-stick pan. Check with the cutter to make sure the piece hasn’t changed shape. Bake at 375° for 9 to 11 minutes. Bake until just firm, never browned.
As soon as the pieces come out of the oven, check the edges and, if necessary, recut with the cutter to get sharp edges so that the pieces will fit together. The dough hardens as it cools, making it more difficult to trim later.
When cool, decorate pieces with stencils while flat. You can use medical tape to cover sections of the pattern when using different colors or using white royal icing and when dry, align the stencil and paint the hardened icing with a stencil brush and food colors.