Gingerbread Sugar Cookies

My mom has a cookies & cocoa party with the grandkids each year before Christmas. The last couple of years I've hosted my own cookies and cocoa party with some of my favorite little people in Doha. I generally make my favorite sugar cookies and this whipped frosting and then let the kiddos do their own decorating. This year there was a new addition: gingerbread sugar cookies.  

I thought I didn't like gingerbread cookies, just like my sister who shared this recipe with me, because they tend to be crunchy. Cookies should not be crunchy, in my opinion. But these. I like these. They are soft and chewy and close to the texture of a sugar cookie, but with the yummy spiciness of gingerbread.

GINGERBREAD SUGAR COOKIES 

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Cream together until fluffy. 

Add molasses and egg and continue mixing until the molasses is fully incorporated. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt. 

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time until the dough comes together and the flour is fully incorporated. 

Divide dough in half, form each part into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for one hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Roll out dough and cut out using cookie cutters. Use flour as need to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter and cookie cutters.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to darken. 

Cool on a wire rack before decorating. 

Source: Katie Neilson 

Peppermint Fluff

I love the retro look of this dessert. My friend Sue made it this last summer for a get together and I knew right away that I wanted to make it for Christmas.  If you're making this for a smaller crowd, half the recipe. I used the amounts below and had plenty of leftovers.  Thanks for the recipe, Sue!

PEPPERMINT FLUFF

• 1 pound peppermint candy
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 envelope (1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
• 4 tablespoons cold water
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 (9 ounce) packages chocolate wafer cookies * (see note below)

NOTE:  The wafer cookies I used come in a yellow box and are Nabisco brand.  They are called Famous Chocolate Wafters.  

Crush peppermint candy. I unwrapped the candies, put them in a plastic bag, and used a hammer to pound the crud out of them.


Heat crushed candy and light cream on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until candy is dissolved. This takes about 15-20 minutes.  Use a rubber spatula to make sure that the candy is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.  


While cooking the cream and candy, mix the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and set aside.


Remove cream and candy mixture from the heat and add gelatin.  Stir to combine.  Chill until partially set.


Carefully fold in whipped cream.


Place a layer of wafers in the bottom of the pan and stand wafers around outside.  If you're halfing this recipe and using a small pan, break the wafters in half before placing them around the outside.


Spread half of peppermint mixture on top of wafers.


Top with a 2nd layer of wafers.


Spread remaining peppermint mixture and top with one last layer of wafters.


Chill for 12 hours.


Source:  Sue Jobst