Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Doug is the one who likes to try new recipes in this family. I like to stick to "tried and true" so I don't waste my time or ingredients. But I must admit, using America's Test Kitchen recipes leaves very little room for error. They've tested a million different ways to make the recipe so they're SURE the one they give you will turn out. And we have ALWAYS been pleased with the results. These cookies Doug made were no exception; adorable, chewy, and delicious!

(Instead of frosting them, I just made a runny powdered sugar glaze and dipped them in it. They turned out perfect.)

Happy Holidays!!!

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
from "The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book"
(Thanks for the awesome Christmas present Jay-Bird! We love it!)

3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed (5.25 ounces) dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light molasses
2 Tbsp milk

1. Process the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. Add the butter and process until the mixture is very fine and sandy, about 15 seconds. With the machine running, add the molasses and milk in a steady stream through the feed tube and continue to process until the dough comes together, about 10 seconds.

2. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces and roll each out to a 1/4-inch thickness between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment, stack them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15-20 minutes.

3. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Working with one piece of dough at a time, transfer it to a clean counter and gently remove the top sheet of parchment. Stamp out cookies using cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets with a thin metal spatula, spaced about 3/4 inch apart.

5. Bake the cookies until they are light golden brown and show a slight resistance to touch, 8-11 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. (Do not overbake.)

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

7 comments:

Janet said...

We made these and they were loved by all! We did not have frosting either but thought they were great as is.

The Getaway said...

I LOVED this recipe when i made it last week, but I had the worst problems trying to roll it out! Even after I chilled the dough and released it from the two pieces of parchment, it softened up so fast that baking turned into an all night thing. I tried to chill my apartment, too and in the end, just used very little flour and rolled it out gently with a rolling pin, and chilled back and forth as needed. Did you have any issues like this? I'm trying to wonder where I went wrong. Can beat the flavor though!

Thanks for posting this!

acte gratuit said...

It's been a few years, but I don't remember having issues with them. How weird! I'll have to try them again and see how they turn out! I'll let you know what happens if I do!
:)

PJ said...

They tasted OK, but they would not get crisp even after two trips back in the oven, they didn't hold their shape well, and the surfaces of some cracked. Instead of gingerbread men, mine looked more like gingerbread sasquatches.

acte gratuit said...

LOL! Sorry PJ--but really--Gingerbread Sasquatches sound pretty darn cool...! Seriously though, sorry to hear they didn't turn out. I'm actually surprised two commenters had a hard time with these. ATK recipes are usually no-fail for us!

Unknown said...

PJ - The cookies aren't supposed to get crispy! Putting them back in the oven for longer would by why they cracked. They're meant to be very fluffy and chewy (hense the name). I believe the ATK has a recipe for gignger cookies that are more ginger-snap style, if that's what you're looking for!

Unknown said...

Love the flavor, but beware the capacity of your food processor! My medium sized Kitchen Aid was too small and almost burnt out. I also struggled a little with how soft the dough was to roll- it more squished flat than rolled. Maybe my butter was too soft? No matter, the cookies were flavorful and I will make (a half recipe) again!