“An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread.”
William Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost
Is there a more iconic Christmas cookie than gingerbread with its warming spices and cozy recollections of the gingerbread houses and men of our childhoods?
I like to make these cookies a couple weeks in advance. Divide and press the dough into discs and wrap in plastic wrap to leave in the fridge until it is is time to bake them. I have also baked them right away, but do think Grandma’s hint to leave them sit first improves the flavour.
The original decoration was half a blanched almond stuck into a gingerbread circle. This is the way my dad preferred them as they were traditional to his family as well. When my kids were young, we cut them into all manner of Christmas shapes and decorated them with coloured royal icing. The last several years I have been using cookie cutters that imprint details into the cookie, thus saving the need to decorate them, as I like the taste of the cookie without the icing. They are small, which allows us to have one of these and perhaps one of some other type as well with our tea or coffee.
Is gingerbread part of your Christmas tradition? For the recipe, click on “continue reading” in the preview below.
Everyday Cheer 