I find these to be very cute and a good use for those extra gingerbread men.
Perfect fo gingerbread afficionados.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt set aside
Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together sugar and butter until well combined, occasionally stopping and scraping down bowl
Mix in wet ingredients: Mix egg yolk and vanilla. Mix in molasses and 1 Tbsp milk
Mix dry mixture with wet mixture: With mixer set on low speed slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined, while adding additional milk as needed just to bring dough together
Roll dough: Divide dough into two equal portions then roll each portion out evenly to 1/4-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.
Chill briefly: chill on a cookie sheet in freezer 10 - 20 minutes, or until firm.
It is important for the dough to have even thickness to avoid uneven baking.
Cut into shapes using cookie cutters
Transfer to baking sheets and bake: Remove from paper using a thin metal spatula or pastry scraper if needed then transfer to parchment paper lined cookie sheet, spacing cookies about 1-inch apart, and bake in preheated oven 8 minutes or until slightly set*
Let cookies cool: Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining dough
Make the icing: Add powdered sugar and meringue powder to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Fit mixer with paddle attachment, add in 4 Tbsp water and the vanilla them mix on low speed until combined.
Thin as needed and whip: Add more water to thin as needed and increase speed and whip mixture until it is glossy and thickens up. Tint with food coloring if desired. Transfer to piping bags fitted with tiny round tips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and lightly spray liners and top of pan with non-stick cooking spray
In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, set aside
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy
Mix in vegetable oil then blend in eggs one at a time.
Mix in molasses.
Mix in flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with 2 additions of milk between (mix just until combined after each addition).
Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and fold batter
Divide mixture among 12 paper lined muffin cups filling each 2/3 full.
Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 19 - 22 minutes
Cool in pan several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool (after about 10 minutes I recommend letting them continue to cool in an airtight container so they don't dry).
Once cool frost with cream cheese frosting. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator then let rest at room temp about 20 minutes before serving
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
*If frosting is slightly runny simply freeze in 3 minute increments, whipping again with mixer between increments until desired consistency is reached.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt set aside
Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together sugar and butter until well combined, occasionally stopping and scraping down bowl
Mix in wet ingredients: Mix egg yolk and vanilla. Mix in molasses and 1 Tbsp milk
Mix dry mixture with wet mixture: With mixer set on low speed slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined, while adding additional milk as needed just to bring dough together
Roll dough: Divide dough into two equal portions then roll each portion out evenly to 1/4-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.
Chill briefly: chill on a cookie sheet in freezer 10 - 20 minutes, or until firm.
It is important for the dough to have even thickness to avoid uneven baking.
Cut into shapes using cookie cutters
Transfer to baking sheets and bake: Remove from paper using a thin metal spatula or pastry scraper if needed then transfer to parchment paper lined cookie sheet, spacing cookies about 1-inch apart, and bake in preheated oven 8 minutes or until slightly set*
Let cookies cool: Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining dough
Make the icing: Add powdered sugar and meringue powder to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Fit mixer with paddle attachment, add in 4 Tbsp water and the vanilla them mix on low speed until combined.
Thin as needed and whip: Add more water to thin as needed and increase speed and whip mixture until it is glossy and thickens up. Tint with food coloring if desired. Transfer to piping bags fitted with tiny round tips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and lightly spray liners and top of pan with non-stick cooking spray
In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, set aside
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy
Mix in vegetable oil then blend in eggs one at a time.
Mix in molasses.
Mix in flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with 2 additions of milk between (mix just until combined after each addition).
Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and fold batter
Divide mixture among 12 paper lined muffin cups filling each 2/3 full.
Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 19 - 22 minutes
Cool in pan several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool (after about 10 minutes I recommend letting them continue to cool in an airtight container so they don't dry).
Once cool frost with cream cheese frosting. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator then let rest at room temp about 20 minutes before serving
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
*If frosting is slightly runny simply freeze in 3 minute increments, whipping again with mixer between increments until desired consistency is reached.