Gingerbread Snowflakes

Ingredients

Dry
280g 100%all-purpose flour
1 tbsp 5.4%*unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp 3.6%*ground ginger
1½ tsp 2.7%*ground cinnamon
1½ tsp 2.7%*baking soda
½ tsp 0.9%*fine salt
¼ tsp 0.4%*ground cloves
⅛ tsp 0.2%*ground black pepper (optional)
⅛ tsp 0.2%*cayenne pepper (optional)
Wet
12 tbsp 64.3%*unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup 57.1%*white sugar
½ cup 42.9%*molasses
½ tsp 0.9%*vanilla extract
1 17.9%*large egg
⅔ cup 57.1%*crystallized ginger, finely chopped
Icing
1 cup 85.7%*powdered sugar
~4 tsp 7.1%*water

Method

Prep

  • Bring butter to room temperature
  • Chop the crystallized ginger

Make the dough

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients
  • In a medium mixing bowl using a stiff spatula, cream together the softened butter and sugar
    • Add the molasses, vanilla, and egg and whisk together until well combined
    • Dump in dry ingredients and smear together using the spatula
  • Transfer the dough to piece of plastic wrap, and create a loaf about 1" high by 4" wide
  • Refrigerate for ~an hour

Make the cookies

  • Cut loaf into 3/8" slices
  • Cut each slice in half
  • Cut each half into 3 strips (cut the long way)
  • Form the 3 slices into tubes that have tapered ends
  • Form the strips into a star pattern on a silicone lined baking sheet in a 3-2-3 layout
  • Bake at 350 for ~12 minutes

Decorate

  • Make the icing
  • transfer to a piping bag with a very small round tip

Notes

  • Change: add 2/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
  • change 2/3 cup sugar to 1/2 cup

References