Recipe of the Day: Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

• 150 g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp ground ginger
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preparing the Dough

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and add the sugar, molasses, salt, orange zest, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Let cool until lukewarm.
3. Add the egg to the cooled mixture and beat with a hand mixer or whisk for 1–2 minutes until glossy.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring with a spoon or spatula until a soft dough forms. The dough should be pliable but slightly sticky. It will firm up once chilled.
5. Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into a flat rectangle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until very firm.

Rolling and Cutting the Cookies

1. Set the oven to 160°C (fan) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of parchment paper) to your desired thickness. For crisp cookies, roll the dough thin; for softer cookies, roll it thicker.
3. Use cookie cutters dipped in flour to cut out festive shapes. Place the cutouts close together to minimize scraps.

Baking the Cookies

1. Place the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving space between them for spreading.
2. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges start to darken slightly. For ornaments, bake for 2–3 extra minutes to dry them out fully.
3. Let the cookies cool completely on the trays before decorating.
4. Use royal icing or glaze for festive decoration. Allow the icing to set completely before handling.
5. If using the cookies as ornaments, make a small hole at the top of each cookie before baking. Thread ribbon or string through the holes once decorated and dried.

Enjoy!

Source: Argiro Barbarigou