The taste and scent of gingerbread is synonymous with childhood Christmas memories of making gingerbread houses and cookies. Here are a few recipes to sample this holiday season.
Easy Gingerbread Cutout Cookies
allrecipes.com
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 stick butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small egg
1 Tbsp. water, or as needed (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 baking trays.
Sift flour, ginger, and baking soda together into a large bowl. Add butter chunks and stir until they are coated with flour. Mix the butter and flour together with your hands until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
Whisk white and brown sugars, maple syrup, egg, and oil together in a small bowl until combined. Add to the flour mixture and knead until a ball of dough forms, adding water, if needed.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness, cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters, and place on the prepared cookie sheets. Repeat until you have used all the dough.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
Gingerbread Latte
abeautifulmess.com
1 shot espresso
1-2 Tbsp. gingerbread syrup from recipe below
1 cup milk
Gingerbread syrup:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
First, make the gingerbread syrup by combining the sugars, water, molasses, ginger, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Cook over medium heat, stirring so the sugar fully dissolves. Before the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container.
Brew the espresso. Put the syrup and espresso in a mug. Steam and froth the milk so it’s hot and foamy using an espresso machine frothing wand, a milk frother or a whisk by hand on the stovetop. Pour the hot milk and foam on top of the espresso and syrup. Add whipped cream if desired.
Gingerbread Tea Cake
eatingwell.com
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute blend equivalent to 1/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups cold water
2/3 cup full-flavor molasses
1/2 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves and set aside.
Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until combined. Add the cold water, molasses and eggs and whisk until combined. Add reserved flour mixture all at once to water mixture, whisking just until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top if desired.
Lorie Skarpness has lived in the Park Rapids area since 1997 and has been writing for the Park Rapids Enterprise since 2017. She enjoys writing features about the people and wildlife who call the north woods home.
