Published November 24, 2021
Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies
Produced from Hard Red Winter Wheat, Shepherd's Grain Low-Gluten Flour is a unique premium flour. Used as an “all-purpose” flour, the flavor and forgiveness of the Low-Gluten Flour is great for most baked goods. But you can substitute all-purpose flour and still enjoy delicious and fantastic results!
You can make this cookie dough up to two days before rolling.
YIELD: 2 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (10 ounces) Shepherd's Grain Low-Gluten Flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark honey
4 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup crystallized or candied ginger
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root (finely grated into purée with a Microplane zester)
Granulated or powdered sugar for sprinkling
LET’S MAKE COOKIES!
- Sift together both flours, the salt, and the spices in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the honey and molasses and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, mixing just to combine each addition. Mix in the candied and fresh ginger purée until just combined.
- Form the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to two days before rolling.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees for a convection oven. (325 degrees would also work for a conventional oven; just be sure to turn the trays halfway through baking.) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch. Cut with the gingerbread person (or any other) cookie cutter.
- Bake until edges begin to brown slightly, 12 to 14 minutes; if baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.
- Use your favorite royal icing recipe to decorate these cookies. Or simply sprinkle with granulated or powdered sugar.
