Ginny’s Gingerbread Recipe

These cookies are bursting with so much flavor that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a store-bought version that you’ll like better.

Each year, I make this recipe at least twice. I use one batch to make a gingerbread house. There’s usually enough dough leftover to make at least a dozen large gingerbread boy cookies. I also have a mini gingerbread boy cutter that is about one inch high. Sometimes, I use this cutter to cut out shapes in a straight line and about a quarter-inch next to each other. When you put these into the oven, they fuse making a little “fence” that you can use for making Ginny’s Gingerbread House.

The second batch I make is solely for cookies. My kids love these and snarf them up in no time.

A note about the dough. The amount much flour you use may vary. So, what I like to do, is to use the minimum amount of flour and mix all of the spices into that. That way you will use all the spices even if you don’t use all the flour. The spices are all dry ground spices (vs. fresh or whole). I keep a bowl of extra flour on the side to use as needed.

I don’t spend a lot of time decorating these cookies with icing, other than to dot two eyes, a smile and three buttons. What I do instead is to tie bows around their necks using satin ribbon. I use red and green ribbon that I get from my local craft store. You don’t need to be a pastry chef to do this. Anyone can help with this. But to make things a little easier for little hands I cut the ribbons larger than they need to be so that it is easier to make the bows. You can always trim the excess later using small scissors. In fact, you will want to have a pair of scissors handy to trim the ribbons to the same size. I do this step before I start. Simply figure out the right size you need – you may need to adjust for your own comfort – and then pre-cut a number of ribbons in both colors.

These cookies are great as a hostess gift. I also set aside some for my sweet table and for decorations. And don’t forget Santa. He loves them too!

What you’ll Need to Make Ginny’s Gingerbread

How to make Ginny’s Gingerbread

To start, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375F.

Thoroughly mix four and a half cups of flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.

In another bowl, put one cup of plain all-purpose flour.

Melt the shortening in a saucepan. Allow it to cool slightly or it will cook the eggs.

Add sugar, molasses and eggs and mix well.

Add four cups of flour and mix well.

Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead by hand. Add a little more flour as necessary to make a firm dough.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to one quarter inch thickness for cut-out cookies.

If you are not going to use the gingerbread right away, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Refrigerated dough will keep for a week. But be sure to remove the dough three hours prior to rolling so it softens and is workable.