Gingerbread Latte Cutout Cookies

Tis the season for gingerbread and warm beverages!

Gingerbread cookies are one of my favorite things to make this time of year.  Something about the soft, cakey texture, the spiced flavor and the smell that fills your house and lingers long after the cookies are baked keeps me smiling all winter.

My favorite gingerbread recipe is actually from the uber amazing mama and cookie artist SugarBelle aka Callye. Her recipe is divine! I didn't know I liked gingerbread until I tried it. Seriously, if you question your love of gingerbread, you should try hers, it will convert you!  If you don't need converting and you just want to make amazing cookies, go to the same place. You simply can't go wrong with these cookies.

Do you see those little dark spots? Those are the reason we are here today! The reason you are going to make cookies right now! Maybe you can run to the store first and buy a few things you might not have on hand and then make cookies ;)

So back to those dark spots... Those little flecks are freeze dried coffee. Instant coffee crystals add so much yummy flavor to these already delicious cookies. I prefer Nestle Tasters choice because I don't drink coffee and I can buy these singe serving packets and keep them on hand for baking. 

Gingerbread Latte Cutout Cookies
inspired by SugarBelle

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cup unsulphered molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp coffee emulsion
• 3-4 tbsp coffee granules
• 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add molasses, eggs, vanilla, coffee emulsion and instant coffee.  Beat until smooth and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Whisk to combine.
4. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to wet mixture and blend, add remaining flour and mix just until dough forms and pulls away from sides of mixing bowl.
5. Separate dough into 2 or 3 equal size pieces and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours or overnight. 
6. Roll chilled dough out onto lightly flour surface to about 1/4-1/3 thickness. Cut into desired shapes and bake for 6-8 minutes depending on size and thickness. 

Gingerbread cookies can be eaten warm from the oven or you can let them cool and decorate with glaze or royal icing.

If you know your Starbucks red cups, you know this one is from last year... which should tell you about how long it has taken me to get this post written...

Notes: Gingerbread cookie dough tends to be more "elastic" than regular roll out cookie dough, it does spread a tiny bit, but will still keep it's shape well, you can reduce the spread by freezing the cut outs on the cookie tray for about 10 minutes before baking them. Callye's original recipe calls for 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening. I am not anti shortening, I just don't use it in my regular cookies and therefore don't have it on hand when I make these ones so I use all butter. Instead of vanilla you can try using orange or almond extract, both are delicious! DO NOT try using starbucks via or any other instant coffee packets that also contain milk powder, yuck! Trust me ;)

Samantha
Flour De Lis