Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies | #ratingval# from #reviews# reviews | |
Prep time: 1 Hr 45 Mins (Includes Chill Time)
Cook time: 7-10 Mins
Yields: 50 Cookies (Approx)
It's not Christmas without these easy to bake soft gingerbread cookies. Use a variety of festively-themed cookie cutters to make these cute cutouts.
- 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer (for 1 egg)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons water, optional
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash salt
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- In a large bowl stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, ground spices and salt, and set aside. Also whisk together the Ener-G egg replacer powder and water in a small bowl and keep it ready.
- In another large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add molasses (See My Notes) and egg replacer mix; blend well.
- Now stir in the flour mix; combine well. If you feel the dough is too tight add about 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- Divide the gingerbread cookie dough into two halves and wrap each half in plastic wrap or in a container with a lid and chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. (See My Notes)
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Remove one half of the dough from the fridge. Keep the remaining cookie dough refrigerated.
- On a lightly floured surface (countertop or a big cutting board), roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Lightly dip the cookie cutters that you want to use in some flour and cut the rolled out dough into desired shapes.
- Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- As I always suggest test bake 2-3 cookies for 7-10 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool on a wire rack until it cools completely before frosting it.
- In a medium bowl add the butter, vanilla and salt; beat until light and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in sugar in small increments until smooth.
- Add 1 tablespoon milk; beat at high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add some more milk to get the desired spreadable or piping consistency as per your choice.
- Decorate the cookies as desired.
- The frosting has to set and dry before you can store it in a container.
- While measuring the molasses, lightly grease the measuring mug with non-stick cooking spray or use the butter wrapper, so that all the molasses will fall out without sticking to the mug.
- I made the dough and refrigerated it for about a day because I couldn't bake it on the same day. So the dough became quite stiff. I had to keep it out at room temperature for it to become pliable. I had to use little water too to make the dough soft and in order to roll it.
- I didn't have time to do the frosting at home and also I didn't want to make a lot of icing, decorate the cookies and give a sugar high to my kids and others so used readymade cookie icing tubes to decorate just a few cookies. The rest the kids ate it without any icing which was sweet enough and tasted great.
- To make Christmas tree ornament cookies, use a straw to poke a hole on the gingerbread cutouts and then bake the cookies as usual.