Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies

One of the many things to do at Disney World during this holidays is to visit the resorts and check out the various gingerbread houses. Each year the building process begins in June or July when the pastry chefs start making the dough for this popular Christmas display. With this recipe, you can make these scrumptious cookies at home.

Gingerbread Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
2 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar, sifted
2 eggs
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 2/3 c all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 1/4 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground star anise
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground mace

For Decoration
1/4 c milk
1 c colored sugar granules

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth using an electric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until combined
2. Sift all the remaining dry ingredients in a separate large mixing bowl and mix well. Put the mix on low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until a dough form
3. Remove dough from he bowl and wrap in plastic wrap, place in refrigerator until firm, 2 – 4 hours. (You can also leave overnight
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet. (or use a silicon pad
5. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow dough to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or until pliable. Divide dough in half and place on floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until about 1/8 inch thick. While rolling, flour the work surface and rolling pin, as needed
6. Cut out desired cookie shapes with cookie cutters. transfer cookies to a greased cookie sheet, placing them 1″ apart.
7. Lightly brush cookies with milk and sprinkle with sugar granules as desired.
8. Bake until firm and edges begin to brown, 10-14 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a minute and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.