Frozen Snowflake Gingerbread Cookies Food

GINGERBREAD SNOWFLAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and water. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake at 350° until edges are firm, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a small bowl, combine frosting ingredients; beat until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a tip; pipe frosting onto cookies in desired designs.

GINGERBREAD SNOWFLAKES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into snowflakes with a 7- inch snowflake-shape cookie cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
• Put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #7). Pipe designs on snowflakes; immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let stand 5 minutes; tap off excess sugar. Let icing set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.

GINGERBREAD SNOWFLAKES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and molasses and mix until combined. Add flour mixture; mix on low until combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Chill 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a generously floured piece of parchment, roll dough just under 1/4 inch thick. Brush off excess flour and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Cut dough into snowflake shapes with a 7-inch cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, and freeze until firm, 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until crisp but not darkened, rotating sheets halfway through once and firmly tapping down pan. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
• Place icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (Ateco #7). Pipe designs on snowflakes; immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar. Tap off excess sugar and allow icing to set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
• To create these lacy designs, fill a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip (Ateco #7) with Royal Icing. Pipe a line along each axis, applying a little extra pressure to create a dot. Pipe several dots around center axis. While icing is wet, sprinkle it with fine sanding sugar. Let stand 5 minutes; shake off excess. To package cookies, dry for several hours; remove excess granules with a dry pastry brush.