Success! Gingerbread Spritz Recipe

Happy New Year!

Yesterday, we had our big New Year’s Day bash complete with ribs, chili, baked beans, and Italian beef sandwiches.  Grandma cookies and caramels also graced the table thanks to their recent visit.

The twins were a little “off” due to all the stimulation, but eventually settled down and proceeded to sleep for 8 hours!  Unfortunately, as a result of this “off”-ness, I only enjoyed bits and pieces of the lavish spread.  So, at about 9pm, after most of the crowd had dissipated, I pulled out the lefse.  No sense in pulling it out before that.  Unlike tomatoes, squash, or coffee, I’m not sure it’s possible for adults to learn to appreciate it.

Ahhh… lefse.  The perfect midnight snack (and breakfast food, and dessert).

So, back to the subject at hand.  Here it is, the Gingerbread Spritz recipe you’ve been waiting for.

1 C Butter
1/2 C Molasses
1/4 C Brown sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 3/4 C Flour
1/4 tsp. Baking powder (if you want them to poof up a bit more, use 1/2 tsp., or, use none at all if you want them to completely retain their pressed cookie shape, but be sure not to burn them as they bake quickly)
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp. Cloves
1/4-1/2 tsp. Ginger

Place dough on a sheet of saran wrap and form into a log thin enough to fit into your cookie press.  Chill for 30 minutes.  It’s crucial to fill the press so there are no air pockets, otherwise you’ll probably toss your press out the window after 10 minutes.

The best way to fill the press is to place the tube vertically, by itself, onto a flat surface.  Put a chunk of dough in and smoosh it down with a spoon.  Continue until the tube is full.  THEN, add both the top and bottom pieces to the tube.  When pressing, you’ll find that some designs work better than others.

Press onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 5-6 minutes.

After cookies have cooled, they can be frozen.  Toss them into a plastic bag, separating layers with waxed paper.  Remove as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn.

Then… before you are ready to serve, whip up this frosting to add a little pizazz.

4 oz. Cream cheese
1/2 stick Butter
3 C Powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
Zest from one lemon
2 T. milk

Use the milk to thin the mixture if you want to pipe it through a pastry bag.  You can also use a plastic storage bag, which is what I did.  Just toss the mix into the bag, cut the tip a tad, and have at it.

Enjoy!