Gingerbread Gift Tags Food

GINGERBREAD GIFT TAGS

Steps:

• In an electric mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt. Beat in eggs and molasses.
• Add flour; mix on low speed to combine. Divide dough into thirds, press to flatten, and wrap in plastic. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Flour 2 pieces of parchment. Roll out each piece of dough to 1/8 inch on the floured parchment. Cover with another sheet of parchment and place in freezer for 15 minutes.
• Remove from freezer and use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Using a spatula, transfer shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Do not move shapes again; if the dough becomes too soft to work with, return to freezer until firm.) If desired, use alphabet cookie cutters to cut initials from the centers of the cookies. Make an 1/8-inch hole for the ribbon (a #7 round pastry tip works well). Cover cookies with parchment; place a second baking pan on top to keep them flat while baking.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 35 minutes for a single batch in center of oven, or 40 to 45 minutes with 2 batches in oven, rotating them twice between shelves. Transfer to a wire rack; do not remove top pan until cookies are cool, about 20 minutes.

GINGERBREAD GIFT TAGS

Steps:

• Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in spices and salt. Reduce speed to low; mix in eggs and molasses. Gradually mix in flour. Divide dough into thirds; shape into disks, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour (up to 3 days).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out each piece of dough to 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured parchment paper. Transfer dough on parchment to baking sheets. Cover with another piece of parchment. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Remove parchment. Cut out shapes, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. (If dough becomes too soft, return to freezer until firm.) Using a very small round pastry tip (such as Ateco #7), make an 1/8-inch hole in top of each cookie for the ribbon. Cover with parchment; place another baking sheet on top to keep cookies flat while baking.
• Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks; remove top sheets.