- Level
- very easy
- Prep Time
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 2 h
- Serves
- 24 - 36
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup
- firmly packed brown sugar
- 175 mL
- 1/4 cup
- vegetable shortening
- 60 mL
- 1 1/4 cups
- molasses
- 300 mL
- 4 cups
- all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 L
- 1 1/2 tsp
- baking soda
- 7 mL
- 2 tsp
- ground ginger
- 10 mL
- 1 tsp
- ground cinnamon
- 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp
- ground allspice
- 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp
- ground nutmeg
- 2 mL
- for decoration, use dragées, Christmas candies, coarse sugar, candy sprinkles and/or royal icing (see note)
Method
- Step 1
- Place brown sugar and shortening in bowl of stand mixer; beat together. Beat in molasses and 1/2 cup (125 mL) water. Set aside. In another large bowl, mix together the 4 cups (1 L) flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Using stand mixer, gradually beat dry ingredients into molasses mixture until dough forms.
- Step 2
- Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface. Divide in half and shape into 2 discs. Wrap and chill 1 hr. (Note: This dough can be stored in fridge several days or frozen and thawed in fridge overnight.)
- Step 3
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). With floured rolling pin, on floured surface, roll out 1 dough disc to 1/4-in. (5-mm) thickness. Dip holiday-themed cookie-cutters in flour and cut out shapes. Re-roll dough scraps to make more cut-outs. Place 3 in. (8 cm) apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Dragées (silver-coloured decorative balls used in baking), Christmas candies, coarse sugar and/or candy sprinkles can be pressed onto the dough for decoration before baking.
- Step 4
- Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, 12 to 13 min., until firm; cool on rack. Roll, bake and decorate second disc of dough .(Note: Avoid placing dough cut-outs on warm or hot baking sheets.) After cookies are cooled, they can be decorated with royal icing. (Note: To make royal icing, gradually mix 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) sifted icing sugar into 1 egg white until smooth. Pipe icing onto cookies and allow to harden.)
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