Gingerbread Boys
These festive gingerbread fellows are great to munch on. If you punch a hole in the cutout shapes before baking, you can use the sturdy cookies as tree ornaments too.
These festive gingerbread fellows are great to munch on. If you punch a hole in the cutout shapes before baking, you can use the sturdy cookies as tree ornaments too.
- Carbohydrate 16.7335050238256 g
- Cholesterol 30.2163532249311 mg
- Fat 11.8258558971436 g
- Fiber 0.488934728221086 g
- Protein 1.86338996991774 g
- Saturated Fat 6.4823744777314 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (41g)
- Sodium 1420.72166599507 mg
- Sugar 16.2445702956045 g
- Trans Fat 0.78827186181501 g
- Calories 180 calories
Step-by-step
- In a bowl, cream shortening and sugar.
- Add molasses and egg; mix well.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
- Divide dough in half.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness.
- Cut with a 4-in. cookie cutter dipped in flour.
- Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
- Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until edges are firm.
- Remove to wire racks to cool.
- Decorate as desired.
Chilling the Dough and Spicing the Batter
Refrigerating the dough for a minimum of two hours is chemically necessary because chilled fat solidifies, preventing the cookies from spreading too rapidly and losing their anthropomorphic shape in the 350-degree oven. Dark molasses brings both deep color and a high concentration of organic acids, which react directly with the alkaline baking soda to generate carbon dioxide gas for light lifting without heavy leaveners. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg contribute essential volatile oils that dissolve efficiently into the lipid network of the shortening and sugar creamed base. Historical European baking traditions favored these robust, dried spices precisely because they remained stable and fragrant during winter months when fresh produce was unavailable.Rolling, Cutting, and Baking Mechanics
Rolling the dough evenly to a precise one-eighth-inch thickness ensures uniform baking times across every batch. Dipping the four-inch cutter into allochronic all-purpose flour prevents the sticky dough from tearing at the delicate limbs during transfer. Spacing the cutouts two inches apart on greased baking sheets allows adequate hot air circulation for proper edge setting. Pulling the cookies from the oven at the nine to eleven-minute mark—specifically when the edges turn firm while the centers remain slightly soft—prevents excessive moisture loss that leads to a brittle, hard texture. Cooling completely on wire racks stops residual pan heat from continuing the cooking process before decorating with confectioners' sugar icing.
