This is the ninth cookie in my 12 Cookies of Christmas (or 12 Days of Cookies) project. I am attempting to improve my cookie baking technique by experimenting with different methods and recipes over these 12 days. It’s really been more than 12 days, as there have been a few failures.

This recipe is no failure. My family did not bake Gingerbread Cookies when I was growing up – my mother would bring them home from the bakery as a treat. With my children, we decorated sugar cookies shaped like Gingerbread Men, but never the real Gingerbread. And creating a Gingerbread House with 4 small children – DID NOT GO WELL! We will just leave it at that.

For this recipe, I decided to go refer to the expert of all ” Good Things” – Martha Stewart https://www.marthastewart.com/343445/gingerbread-cookies

Martha Stewart’s Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup molasses

1/2 cup butter (unsalted) room temperature

1 egg

Gingerbread Cookie Preparation:

Mix flour and spices in a separate mixing bowl

Beat softened butter with brown sugar. Stir in molasses and beat. Stir in egg and beat.

Gradually beat in dry ingredients.

Place cookie dough in floured plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Break dough into 2-3 workable pieces. Roll cookie dough out on floured parchment paper- or between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Cut out shapes and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. If dough becomes too sticky – place back in refrigerator until it becomes workable. If cookie cutters are too sticky – dip in flour.

Bake cookies in preheated 350 degree oven for 10 to 18 minutes. In my oven, about 14 minutes was perfect. Cookies should be just starting to brown on the outside.

Decorate cookies with icing or sprinkles when fully cooled.