Fairy Gingerbread Cookies

(from 226-2tone’s recipe box)

Makes 5 dozen cookies

Use cookie or baking sheets that measure at least 15 by 12 inches. Don’t be disconcerted by the scant amount of batter: You really are going to spread it very thin. Use the edges of the parchment paper as your guide, covering the entire surface thinly and evenly. For easier grating, freeze a 2-inch piece of peeled ginger for 30 minutes, then use a rasp-style grater.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
The original recipes for Fairy Gingerbread Cookies melted in our mouths but were also severely lacking in flavor. A bit of vanilla extract and salt helped boost the otherwise bland confections. Doubling the ginger added a much-needed kick, but without any competing flavors it was overwhelming. We cut back a little and toasted the ground ginger to bring out its natural flavor. Grating fresh ginger straight into the batter added even more intense ginger flavor.

Switching from bread flour to all-purpose flour made the batter slightly easier to spread onto an overturned baking sheet or cookie sheet. A little baking soda helped retain the cookies’ airy crispness.

Source: Cook's Country February/March 2011 (from RecipeThing user Bethany)

Categories: Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 9 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

Directions

  1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets (or inverted baking sheets) with cooking spray and cover each with 15 by 12-inch sheet parchment paper. Heat ground ginger in small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Combine flour, toasted ginger, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

  2. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add fresh ginger and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of milk.

  3. Following photo 1, evenly spread ¾ cup batter to cover parchment on each prepared cookie sheet (batter will be very thin). Bake until deep golden brown, 16 to 20 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Following photos 2 and 3, immediately score cookies into 3 by 2-inch rectangles. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Using tip of paring knife, separate cookies along score mark. Serve. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.)

  4. MAKING FAIRY GINGERBREAD COOKIES – While making several dozen batches of Fairy Gingerbread, we had time to perfect our technique. The cookies are made with an unusual method we’d never encountered before. Here’s how: 1. SPREAD BATTER To form cookies of the requisite thinness, use a small offset spatula to spread the batter to the edges of a 15 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper. 2. SCORE COOKIES Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, use a chef’s knife or pizza wheel to score 3 by 2-inch rectangles. Work quickly to prevent breaking. 3. SEPARATE COOKIES Once the cookies are cool, trace over the scored lines with a paring knife and gently break the cookies apart along the lines.

  5. ESSENTIAL TOOL: OFFSET SPATULA – We typically use an offset spatula to frost a cake, but we found this small version indispensable for spreading Fairy Gingerbread batter thinly and evenly. WILTON ANGLED SPATULA Our favorite small offset spatula.

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