Description
Spiced gingerbread star cookies embody festive holiday cheer from Germany. Crisp edges and warm spices create a delightful treat that will charm guests at any seasonal celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ¼ cups (410g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (120ml) molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- royal icing or powdered sugar
- sprinkles or edible glitter (optional)
Instructions
- Creaming: Whip softened butter with brown sugar until light and fluffy, blending thoroughly for 2-3 minutes to create an airy base.
- Wet Mixture: Integrate egg, molasses, and vanilla extract into the butter blend, ensuring complete incorporation and smooth consistency.
- Dry Blend: Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a separate bowl, creating a fragrant spice mixture.
- Dough Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing until a uniform dough develops without overworking the batter.
- Chilling: Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 60 minutes to enhance flavor and firm up texture.
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C), line baking sheets with parchment paper, and prepare a lightly floured work surface.
- Shaping: Roll out chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness, using star-shaped cutters to create precise cookie shapes with minimal excess.
- Baking: Arrange cookies on prepared sheets with slight separation, baking for 8-10 minutes until edges set and centers remain slightly soft.
- Cooling: Rest cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and solidify structure.
- Decorating: Once cooled, adorn with royal icing, dusted powdered sugar, or festive sprinkles to elevate the cookie’s visual presentation.
Notes
- Chill Dough Strategically: Refrigerate dough for minimum 60 minutes to prevent excessive spreading and enhance spice development, ensuring compact and flavorful cookies.
- Measure Flour Precisely: Use a kitchen scale or spoon-and-level method to avoid dense, dry cookies that can result from over-measuring flour.
- Control Baking Time Carefully: Watch cookies closely during 8-10 minute baking window; slight underbaking creates softer texture while preventing hard, crispy edges.
- Customize Spice Blend: Adjust warm spice ratios to personal preference, increasing ginger for sharper taste or balancing with extra cinnamon for milder warmth.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 15mg