I hope if anyone has an awesome gingerbread cookie recipe they will please please post it?
I have yet to find one Im happy with that doesent get overly dark in color and holds its shape real well and of course is just delicious ! Yes I know I want it ALL ! So do all of you Im sure .LOL!

I second that one fiddle! I want a really good tried-n-true gingerbread that's also good for making houses!

You know, they have these ginger cookies, (only at the holidays, and not at every location) that are simply amazing, and I hesitate to tell you where. It's the place we love to shop for everything else, but tend to run down their bakery... you know... the "W" word. Yah... Super W... you know what I'm saying. They are so good. I am not kidding!

Well I guess they cant be good in every dept !
Yep that bakery is pretty sorry !
But I love the candy dept !
Ok ,shower us in gingerbread Please! please !

I love this thread. I will post mine when I get home tonight. Can't wait to try some of these

kaka.. Oh I hope its gingerbread ????

here's some more!

Hidden Treasures

Ingredients
1 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon butter flavor
(or 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla)
2 1/2 cups flour
60 hershey kisses

Directions
1. cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. add egg and flavorings and blend well.
3. blend in flour.
4. cover and chill dough for 45 minutes.
6. preheat oven to 400*F.
5. spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of dough and roll into a disc in your hands.
6. place kiss in the middle of the disc and fold the dough over until the whole candy is covered.
7. place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack.

Cream Cheese Cake Cookies

Ingredients
¼ cup butter softened
1 8oz cream cheese softened
1 egg yolk
¼ tsp vanilla
1 box cake mix (i usually use confetti/funfetti cake mix, but i've used chocolate too)

Directions
1. cream butter & cream cheese
2. add yolk & vanilla
3. add cake mix 1/3 of package at a time, mixing well after each time
4. cover and chill for 30 minutes
5. preheat oven to 375°
6. drop by tsp onto ungreased cookie sheet
7. bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown
8. cool slightly before removing

wait!! i have more!!

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 large)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Beat shortening, sugar, egg, vanilla and bananas well.
2. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Stir in oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
4. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet.
5. Bake 10 minutes at 400F. Cool on wire rack.


Shortbread

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup butter - softened
1 tsp vanilla
4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions
1. preheat oven to 350*F (175*C)
2. in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and confectioners sugar. mix in butter and vanilla and mix until a stiff dough forms.
3. spread dough into an 8" round cake pan and prick with a fork. sprinkle granulated sugar over the top.
4. bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. cut into wedges while still warm. cool on wire rack.

Jmtreu98

Thanks for the links to Northpole.com. My daughter loved it, and I am sure we will use it alot in the months to come, lol

plbennett_8~Thanks for the recipe. I DO remember those and I LOVE THEM!!! Can't wait to get back to the states and make them!!!

Ok, here's an EASY recipe for p-nut butter cookies. My GodMother gave this to me and I'm sure she'd be glad to share...

P-NUT BUTTER COOKIES

2c P-Nut Butter
2c Sugar
2 eggs

Mix together, make balls, dip in sugar, press with fork for pretty, bake at @ 325 for about 8 min. ENJOY!

Thanks for starting this AWESOME post and to Mel and Fiddle for updating the google docs, haven't checked it out yet but I will for sure!!!

krystyne_wilson.. I make those they are wonderful !
I cant take credit for any updates,Thats all Mel !
Thanks Mel!!
I Just added a link to my signature so everyone can get all the recipes !

File updated

I found this one online and I really like them. I use this recipe for cookies, I never tried to make a gingerbread house with them. They come out really soft. I use a different recipe for the house, but I'm still looking for it =)

Gingerbread Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and slightly soft
3/4 cup molasses
2 tbsp milk

In food processor:
Use the blade attachment, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda until combined(8-10 seconds). Add butter pieces over flour mixture and mix until it is sandy and resembles very fine corn meal(12-15 seconds). With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk, mix until dough is evenly moistened and forms a soft ball(10 seconds).

In Stand mixer:
Use the paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda at low speed until combined,(30 seconds). Stop mixer, add butter pieces. Mix on med/low speed until it is sandy and resembles fine corn meal, (1 1/2 minutes). Turn mixer to low and, with mixer running, slowly add molasses and milk. Mix until dough is evenly moistened, (20 seconds). Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, (10 seconds).

Divide dough in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll 1/4-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm(15 to 20 minutes). Or you can put dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one cookie sheet from freezer, place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and gently set it back on top of the dough. Flip dough over and peel off and throw away the other piece of parchment. Cut the cookies into any shape you want and set on the cookie sheet 3/4 inch apart. Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip(8 to 11 minutes) rotating cookie sheets front to back and switching positions top to bottom halfway through baking time. Do not over bake. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack, cool to room temperature.

OK ladies, and gentlemen...
After a horrendous day... Short version, it's raining cats and dogs, I get a flat, CANADIAN TIRE said it would be ONE HOUR to change it (I didn't even want it FIXED, JUST CHANGED!!!) with my 10 yr old and 19 mth old in the car... I started to fix it myself because my DUMBA$$ husband isn't answering his PHONE because he's sick (insert baby voice here), so my DAD came to rescue me and an hour later and soaking wet my tire was changed.

So now I have a 50th wedding anniversary cake in my oven, chocolate ganache on the counter and a pretty bow drying and a rum and coke to get me over the hump. Oh, and I decorated a sugar cookie house this am. So I'm feeling VERY accomplished!!!

Now that you have read thru that, I will give you my 2 faves...

Big Soft Ginger Cookies (YUMM-O!!!)

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cup flour
+ 1/4 cup sugar to roll in (the cookies, not you, silly!)

Make into balls, roll in sugar, pat down flat on parchment paper cookie sheet.

350 for 10 min.


GingerBread House Dough

1 cup shortening (I still prefer butter)
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup molasses
5 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp each: baking soda, salt (if you've used shortening or unsalted butter), ground cloves and cinnamon

Wet and dry into separate bowls. Add dry in 3 parts. You will need to use your hands at the end.

Break into 3 separate disks, wrap in plastic and refridgerate for at least 1 hour before you use. Use within 2 days.

This is seriously my FAVE for houses and people. We actually decorated our tree one year with little dudes. It was SO cute!!!
Enjoy!!!

Thanks for posting the gingerbread recipes !

You know, I have so many complicated recipes, but every once in a while, I have some nice, easy ones that are really good! Like this one... painfully simple, but they are really good!!

Title: ChocoCheese Pinwheels

Ingredients List:

2 sheets (17.25-oz pkg) frozen puff pastry, thawed
8 oz cream cheese, softened (any flavor)
3 T. sugar
1 pkg Nestle Morsels (any flavor)

Preheat Oven: 375°

Directions: Thaw pastry per package instructions. Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll out to make 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Combine cream cheese and sugar in small bowl until smooth. Spread half cream cheese mixture over puff pastry, leaving 1-inch border on one long side. Sprinkle with half of the morsels. Roll up starting at long side covered with cream cheese. Seal end by moistening with water. Repeat steps with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for 1 hour. CUT rolls crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Place cut-side-down on prepared baking sheets. BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Try mixing flavors for fun combos!! Raspberry cream cheese and those choco/rasp swirl chips for instance. Or... stir a little peanut butter into your cream cheese and sprinkle with PB chips! Or, MINT! Yum! Stir the cream cheese with a dash of mint flavoring, then add mint chips (or the chopped up Andes mints you can get... those rule!)

This is the recipe I use for my gingerbread & it's ideal for cookie cutters/decorating & gingerbread houses as this cookie has the perfect taste & is a hard cookie...

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 pkg. (6-serving size) JELL-O Butterscotch Cooked Pudding and Pie Filling
1 egg
2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

BEAT butter, sugar and dry pudding mix in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until
light and fluffy. Add egg; beat until well blended. Combine remaining ingredients. Gradually add
to pudding mixture, beating well after each addition; cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is
firm.
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Place dough on lightly floured surface; roll out to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut into gingerbread shapes using 3- to 4-inch cookie cutter, rerolling dough scraps as
necessary. Place, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets.
BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to wire
racks; cool completely. Decorate as desired.

I found this recipe on the Kraftcanada website... Now I'm just looking for a recipe for soft gingerbread as I prefer soft cookies....

Oh man, I went to WalMart yesterday and they had the ginger cookies I was talking about... I bought some, all excited... either these were not the same thing, or the location I went to sucks. They were not as good as before.

My family demands these cookies at Christmas. I found this recipe in an old Woman's Day (I think) magazine in my grandmother's attic about 25 years ago. The magazine was from 1955. I will post the original frosting that was in the magazine and the frosting that I use (without raw eggs).

Almond Orange-Peel Cookies
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour (sifted)
1 cup butter
2 eggs
4 Tablespoons cream
grated rind of 1 orange (fine)
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients as you would mix pie crust with the shortening. Beat eggs and cream together; add to dry ingredients. Add grated orange rind and mix well. Add almond and vanilla. Mix lightly and roll dough thin on lightly floured board. Cut out with favorite cutters. Place cookies on lightly greased cookie pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350°F.

Original Frosting (from 1955 magazine)
2 egg whites
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
2 Tablespoons water

Mix with electric beater till frosting stands in peaks. For a stiffer frosting, add a bit more sugar.

My Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
4 Tablespoons soft butter
6 - 7 teaspoons milk

Mix first 3 ingredients with enough milk until you reach a spreading consistency.

File updated.

deej those sound good!

I just LOVE all these great recipes everyone's sharing! Here's one of my favorites- it's long and lots of steps I know, but SO worth it!!

Cherry Bon Bons
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
3/4 C butter
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 C flour
Chocolate Fudge Filling (recipe follows)
4 jars (or gallon size from Costco) maraschino cherries
White Chocolate for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350. Microwave unsweetened chocolate and butter in lrg. bowl until butter is melted (approx. 2 min). Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir sugar into melted chocolate mixture. Mix in eggs & vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour. Fill mini muffin cups (paper lined or greased- liners do work better) 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20 min or until done- DO NOT OVERBAKE!! Cool slightly then make 1/2 inch indentation into top of each brownie (use end of wooden spoon or other kitchen gadget). Remove from pans and cool completely on rack. Prepare chocolate fudge filling. Drain cherries and let stand on paper towels to dry. Pipe about 1 tsp filling into indentation of each brownie. Gently press cherry into filling. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Chocolate Fudge Filling
3 oz softened cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 C light corn syrup
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 C powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Slowly pour in corn syrup, beating until well blended. Add chocolate; beat until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar beating until well blended and smooth. (Adjust the powdered sugar as needed so the filling isn't too stiff).


Seriously worth the time!!! These also freeze well- just put in airtight container!

mbpbrighteyes ..Thats one I will try ! Lots of steps or not ! Sounds delish !

Ok, mbpbrighteyes, you are on my LIST!!! I just got fatter READING your recipe!!! UGH!!!

Yeah... they are so yummy!! Don't even want to think about how many of them I've eaten (do I have to count the ones directly from the freezer??)!! Also- forgot to put in the recipe that I use the cherries WITH stems... makes them look even prettier!!

Every year I bake a variety of cookies to give to friends and family. Over the years I have tried many cookie recipes and the one that everyone looks for first when they open the container are these chocolate chip cookies. I know everyone has "the best chocolate chip cookie recipe" but these are really different. The texture is very light and unlike any other cookie. VERY YUMMY!! (This is an old family recipe.)

1 cup Fleishmans margarine (it has to be Fleishmans or it wont work!)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
Choc chips

Beat the sugar and margarine on high for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl combine vinegar and baking soda.

Add to bowl, AFTER beating sugar and margarine. Add Flour, vanilla, and Choc chips (1/2-1 bag).

Drop onto cookie sheets (i like to use parchment paper).

Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes. (low heat and Fleishman's margarine is key!)

Do not over bake, these do not look brown when done.

I hope you all will try this recipe and love it as much as I do! BTW I always make at least a double batch. They are very popular.

Amy

Oooh, these new recipes look good! Man, Christmas cookie trays are gonna ROCK this year!!

Oh.. I cant wait to start my Holiday baking !!! The house is going to smell extra special trying so many new recipes this year !

Brighteyes---these cookies sound just fabulous and will be a first pick for fundraisers this year. Do you freeze them completely finished with the cherry on top and it doesn't get mushy???

Here is a real quicky but very good.

Espresso Brownie Bites

Use your favorite "from scratch" or boxed brownie mix. Add 1 tsp. espresso powder to the mix. Use the pretty foil mini cupcake liners and fill with 1 rounded Tbs. of batter. Bake until tested done with a toothpick--mixes will vary somewhat. Make your favorite ganache and swirl on top when they are cool. Top with chocolate coffee bean. I do not care for crunching on a real coffee bean, so I buy the solid chocolate looking coffee beans at my cake supply house.

Sounds great Lily..

I have been making these for last four years along with 15 other cookies for Christmas. They are very good.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies



Makes estimated 24 cookies:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon brandy
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped dried cranberries*

Makes estimated 48 cookies:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 egg
2 tablespoons brandy
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
2 cups dried cranberries*


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and brandy. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in the white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. For best results, take them out while they are still doughy. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

*** Dried cranberries soak in hot water for 10 minutes and then chop.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/White-Chocolate-and-Cranberry-Cookies/Detail.aspx


**********************

here is another that I bake at Christmas:

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies



INGREDIENTS: makes 48 servings
⢠ 1 cup butter, softened
⢠ 1 ½ cups white sugar
⢠ 2 eggs
⢠ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⢠ 2 cups all-purpose flour
⢠ 2/3 cup cocoa powder
⢠ Â¾ teaspoon baking soda
⢠ Â¼ teaspoon salt
⢠ 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
⢠ Â½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

INGREDIENTS: makes 96 servings
⢠ 2 cups butter, softened
⢠ 3 cups white sugar
⢠ 4 eggs
⢠ 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⢠ 4 cups all-purpose flour
⢠ 1-1/3 cups cocoa powder
⢠ 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
⢠ 1/2 teaspoon salt
⢠ 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
⢠ 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2)  In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3)  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.


www.allrecipes.com