AWARD WINNING GINGERBREAD COOKIES

I have just a few suggestions for this recipe so it works out for you. I know sometimes when I make cookies I want them to be done in 20 minutes and having to wait makes me pretty unhappy. So I am warning you ahead of time, please put this dough in the fridge! 2-3 hours will work magic. If you don’t you will have a hot (literal, haha) mess of sticky dough on your hands. Forming them will be a nightmare and they will get flat. Chill the dough and you won’t regret it !

If you don’t have the orange juice feel free to use water, the orange juice really makes the flavor pop. It doesn’t taste like orange, it is similar to when you add coffee to a chocolate cake batter to intensify the chocolate flavor. It is like a secret ingredient that makes the cookie go from good to award winning!

BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES RECIPE

These Gingerbread Cookies will get you feeling festive and make your Christmas Cookie Exchange clamor for the recipe! Given to me by a family friend, they have won three cookie competitions in less than 10 years!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.)
2. Cream the butter and 1 cup sugar.
3. Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.
4. Add the orange juice and molasses (I use light molasses) until combined.
5. Add in the dry ingredients in small batches until just combined.
6. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, if you can't at least put it in the freezer for a half an hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8. In about 2 tablespoon balls, roll into the 1/4 cup sugar and flatten so it looks like the thickness of a double stuff Oreo, really thick but clearly flattened.
9. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

Recipe Adapted : AWARD WINNING GINGERBREAD COOKIES @ dinnerthendessert