3D Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies go 3D! Saving this idea for next year.  Thanks Not Martha!

Cookies galore!

The cookie swap I participated in this year has posted all the wonderful cookie recipes involved in the massive 22,000 cookie trade.  Can you believe that? 22,000 cookies were mailed around the US and the world earlier this month! Makes my eyes go way wide!

Check out all the delicious cookies (and beautiful cookie shots) here and here.

Bonus points if you can spot the special gingerbread cookies Kat, Marina & I made.

Cheers!

Secret Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Revealed!

Thanks to the great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, today I will reveal the recipe of the most delicious gingerbread cookies I've ever had.  My wonderful friend and baking extraordinaire, Kat, from Walk Slowly and Carry a Camera   agreed to share the coveted recipe for this cookie swap.

But before we go into the recipe, I just wanted to reflect: this was the first cookie swap I've ever participated in and it was awesome! There is a special kind of joy about getting cookies of an unknown variety in the mail and I even found myself giddy while waiting in line at the post office to mail mine off.  Thank you Love and Olive Oil for connecting me to this cookie swap! I look forward to participating again next year!

Thank you Bake Eat Repeat for mailing me absolutely amazing soft and chewy ginger spice cookies cookies! They were delicious!

And now....drumroll please....the recipe!!

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp group cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses or think honey
1 egg

Directions:

1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt into a large bowl.

Beat butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add molasses and egg; beat well.

Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.

(It should have this consistency)

Press dough into a thick flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness on lightly floured work surface (don't be shy on the flour!)

(Don't be shy with the flour, it will keep your gingerbread people will shaped)

Cut into the gingerbread with cookie cutters of your choice. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until ledges of cookies are set and just begin to brown.

 Cool on baking sheet 1-2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

(This is just the beginning of the 6 dozen cookies we baked)

Decorate cooled cookies as desired.

 Enjoy!

(Can you call it foul play when it is so irresistible? :P ) 

Cookie love

I am absolutely stoked about participating in my first ever Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap this year!    I will be making my cousin's secret recipe fabulous gingerbread cookies, but until then - here are a few other cookie recipes I intend to make before Christmas:

Soft & Chewy Vanilla-Orange Cranberry Cookies

Cookies & Cream Brownies

And the ultimate ambition, I'll be finally tackling the Snickers Bar from Bon Appetit... I've had my eye on this one for a few months now, and finally with winter break upon me - we're going to make it happen! 

Best cookies ever

(Photo by Steph from Obsessed with Baking)

Was in the baking mood today making cupcakes when I came across the Smores Cookie recipe. Of course I had to stop what I was doing and make these. And it was worth it.

The cookies are truly fantastic - the batter is delicious on its own, but then you add the chocolate and marshmallows...absolute goodness!  I will definitely be making these many times again.  

Smores Cookies
Adapted from Obsessed with Baking 
Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups miniature chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows* 
1 Hershey bar chopped

1. With a mixer, combine the butter and sugars until fluffy. 
2. Mix in egg and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt, and baking soda, mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Refrigerate dough for about an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375ºF 
5. Drop by rounded tablespoon (I used an ice-cream scoop) onto cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 2 to 3 marshmallows and a few pieces of a hershey's bar into each cookie. Return to the oven and bake an additional 2-3 minutes until fully cooked. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

*Note: I had large marshmallows and cut them up - definitely much stickier way to do it but still works.