Gingerbread Time

Hello! Yes, I know that I've taken a little holiday from blogging. Truth is, I've been sick : ( I even lost my voice for a few days! Pity me.


Anyway, the Christmas season is in full swing at our house: the tree is up and decorated, the candles are lit, music fills the house, and, perhaps best of all, the smells of super-sugary-sweets are wafting through the air! Yes, 'tis the season to tip the scales, and I'm going at it with gusto!

In case there aren't already enough traditional family recipes and yummy things from Food Network that you're dying to try out, here's one more recipe: authentic gingerbread cookies. I just made them for a little Christmas party we hosted yesterday, and my goodness were they delicious! I'd never had homemade gingerbread cookies before, and I'll tell you, they far exceeded my expectations.

Just a note on the recipe, if you don't use McCormick® ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, your cookie dough will explode! Just kidding, I made it with another brand and, surprisingly, it didn't self-destruct.

Makes 2 dozen or 24 (1 cookie) servings.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Refrigerate Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes per batch

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground
1 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg

1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

Be careful! These little guys are prone to injury...