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Photo: photo by Sam Henderson
Gathering the Materials
You will need: gingerbread dough (follows)/ rolling pin/ gingerbread template (follows)/ knife/ circle cookie cutters/ food dye/ buttercream or frosting of choice/ piping bags/ assorted tips as desired, sheet cake (optional)/ light corn syrup/ shredded coconut/ Make the gingerbread by whisking together 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl mix together 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature), 1 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1 large egg (room temperature) beating until smooth on medium speed. Add 1 cup unsulfured molasses and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until light and fully (about 5 minutes). Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until fully incorporated. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to one week. Preheat oven to 350˚F before rolling out.