The Gingerbread cookie and a fun baking day for kids

This week I had my sweet nephews over to help me make gingerbread cookies, per their request. (No, not kidding).

To be honest, I was so excited to bake these cookies with them because it allows me to re-live my childhood through them. I always loved cut out cookies at Christmas time but I can’t really recall making them until I was in college. What I do remember is my love for sprinkles, I mean what kid doesn’t!? I probably drove my mom crazy because everything had to have sprinkles on it, my ice cream my cookies…everything. Not much has changed because my kitchen cupboards are exploding with all colors of nonpareils, and dragees. Even still, that did not stop me from making a pit stop at the store before their arrival to scope out…even more fun sprinkles!

The boys had so much fun with their own personal rolling pins, rolling out ‘their’ dough, cutting out the cookies and then decorating them with…sometimes…literally every kind of sprinkle!

If you are looking for something fun to do with your kids this holiday, why not spend some quality time and bake some fun cut out cookies. These cookies are spicy, fun, and festive. After all, what’s Christmas without a little gingerbread!

Need sprinkles for your holiday cookies? Stop by Target, they had so many great festive packages (of course, I had to pick up one of each..you remember me and the over indulgence of the pumpkin cans don’t you?)

Tip: You can make the dough the day ahead and keep it wrapped in the refrigerator so it’s ready for the kids. Their attention span is short and you might as well leave the fun stuff, like decorating up to them!

Gingerbread Cookies
Recipe derived from "Mrs. Fields cookie book"

3 ¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (I added this to the recipe; you don’t have to if you don’t have this)
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed (I used light brown sugar)
1 large egg
½ cup molasses

Directions:
-In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside
-In a large bowl beat butter until creamy.
-Then add the brown sugar and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy.

-Then add the egg and molasses and beat until smooth.

-Slowly add the flour mixture until just combined, you do not want to over mix. You can stop the mixer early and mix in any remaining flour with a spatula.

-Separate the dough into two parts and wrap in plastic wrap for at least 2 hours or overnight.

-Roll out on a well floured surface with a rolling pin and cut out with cookie cutters. Bake on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper for 9-11 minutes at 325 degrees.

****Decorating Tip: If you are using sprinkles, decorate the cookies before baking. If you are going to ice them you can wait to add the sprinkles to the top of the icing if you want.

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