Emilys Spiced Ginger Cookies Food

THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
• Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
• Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
• Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.

EMILY'S AMAZING SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. When creamed well, add sour cream and cream for an additional 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and combine. Sift flour, baking soda and salt and add it to the wet ingredients and combine well. Refrigerate for several hours. Roll out dough so that it is fairly thick. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes (don't let them brown).

SOFT, SPICY, HEAVENLY GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the molasses.
• Mix the water and baking soda and stir.
• Sift together the flour, salt, and dry spices; add gradually to the sugar-margarine mixture.
• Gradually stir the sifted ingredients, along with the ginger and raisins, into the molasses mixture.
• Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
• (The dough may be too soft to handle at this point- I suggest either adding a bit of flour, or refrigerating for 20 minutes[or even overnight]).
• Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.