Alex Guarnaschelli: The Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should gingerbread be soft or crunchy? ›

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft? Soft gingerbread biscuits are ideal. They ought to be flexible. However, they should still be somewhat elastic, and if you hold them too firmly because you're so excited to eat them, you might even be able to leave your fingerprints on the cookie!

From doubling up on molasses to using too much flour, there is a lot that can go wrong. Forgetting the molasses resulted in a crumbly cookie that was light in color. Combining all ingredients at once created lumps in the finished product.

The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread biscuits was at the court of Elizabeth I of England. She had the gingerbread figures made and presented in the likeness of some of her important guests which brought the human shape of the gingerbread cookies.

Flour is the main ingredient in gingerbread cookies, as in most cookies. However, ginger and molasses are important ingredients as well, as they contribute to the cookies' unique taste. Gingerbread was brought to America with settlers from Europe, and has been a popular addition to the American diet ever since.

Golden syrup, also known as "light treacle," is made from the evaporation of sugarcane, which creates a light, golden syrup very reminiscent of honey. Lyle's is a popular brand of golden syrup. Try using 1 cup golden syrup for every 1 cup molasses in a recipe.

“There are some gingerbread recipes that are hard right after baking and need to sit for a few days to soften. Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.”

Put the dough on a sheet of baking parchment, shape into a rectangle, and lay another sheet of parchment on top of it. Roll the dough out to a thickness of ½cm. Transfer to a baking sheet to keep it flat, leaving the parchment in place, then chill in the fridge for 1 hr.

So how do you know that they're done? Here's how to tell if gingerbread cookies are done: They'll be firmly set. They'll be a lovely medium-brown color.

To fix this, you can add more fat to the dough. This can be in the form of butter, shortening, or even olive oil. Just add a little at a time until the dough comes together and is no longer crumbly. You may also need to add more liquid, such as milk or water, to get the right consistency.

​Superstitions about gingerbread flourished in the 17th century. Witches supposedly made gingerbread figures, ate them, and thereby caused the death of their enemies. Dutch magistrates went so far as to declare baking or eating molded cookies illegal.

What are the three types of gingerbread? ›

Gingerbread cookies became a sign of the more elegant side of England because of the gold leaf that was used to decorate them. Gingerbread houses began in Germany during the 16^th century. These cookie houses were decorated with foil and gold leaf and quickly became a Christmas tradition in the country.

In America we have two names for these: molasses cookies or gingerbread. These are either thick moist and chewy or the gingerbread cookies can be harder and something one rolls out and cuts into shapes, baked and decorated.

Gingerbread was an important part of pagan religious ceremonies which took place in the month of December. Before this time, since the Christian Church had never set a date for the birth of Christ, the decision was made to set it at December 25th so pagan and Christmas celebrations could take place at the same time.

Originally gingerbread was made with honey and breadcrumbs

One of the earliest English recipes for gingerbread, written down in the fifteenth century, didn't actually contain any ginger! Instead bread crumbs or 'gratyd brede' were mixed with boiled honey and formed into a stiff paste with saffron and pepper.

The dough will feel a little soft, but will firm up once cooled. Wrap and chill for at least 30 mins or wrap and freeze for up to three months. Remove the dough from the fridge and leave at room temperature until soft enough to roll.

Anyhow, there are two ways you can cook gingerbread, but there is only one right answer. Gingerbread cookies should be soft. They should be supple. They should bend to your teeth before the cookie skin breaks and the crumbs fall all over you.

Let it dry

“Most gingerbread disasters, collapses, and frustrations happen because the icing hasn't had an adequate amount of time to dry.