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Gingerbread Sweater Cookies | Weston Table

Sweet Things

Gingerbread Sweater Cookies

When these cookies are baking the whole house smells like a childhood memory. Cinnamon, cloves, and ginger have a naturally warm and comforting smell. Gingerbread was first made by the ancient Greeks in 2400 BC and popularized in Europe by the Germans in the 13th century when Catholic monks made molded cookies and religious scenes from the dough. This recipe is traditional and its hint of cocoa powder adds to their allure. While we have made gingerbread cookies for years, it is the embossing, that while simple, makes these cookies extra special. The embossing is done with an inexpensive rolling pin that has been carved with designs so that when you roll it impressions are left on the dough. They may be cut out with any shape of cookie cutter but we particularly like the form of a turtleneck sweater. They look and taste as cozy as the gingerbread smells. 

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cuisine American
difficulty Moderate
season Fall & Winter
serves 16

Ingredients for the Cookies

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 100 grams dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup unsulphered blackstrap molasses
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 225 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Ingredients for the Icing

  • 128 grams confectioners sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed

Directions for the Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degreesF F.
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stop after a few seconds to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed after each addition just until a dough begins to form. Stop the mixer and finish with a spatula.
  5. Lightly flour the work surface and put the dough on it. Knead gently just until any dry bits are incorporated. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  6. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to 1/3" thick. Then use the embossed rolling pin to add the design. Begin rolling from the bottom of the dough upwards (I prefer to roll with my hands on the roller rather than the handles for the most even pressure).
  8. Form the dough into a ball, divide the ball in half, and flatten each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  10. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes, then transfer the cut-outs to the prepared baking sheets, re-rolling the dough scraps as necessary.
  11. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just set but the middles are still soft. The cookies might seem underdone, but taking them out at this point will ensure that they stay soft once they cool. I typically use a 3-inch cookie cutter and bake my cookies for 8 minutes. The exact timing will depend on your oven, the size of your cookie cutters, and how soft or crunchy you like your gingerbread cookies.
  12. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Directions for the Icing

  1. Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth and runny. Add water as necessary to make the glaze somewhat transparent so that you can see the embossed design on the cookies (the glaze will become more transparent as it sets).
  2. Test on one cookie and add water a teaspoon at a time if the glaze is still too opaque. Glaze all the cookies and let them dry completely before serving or storing.
Hand Writing

Kitchen Notes

The higher fat content of european Kerrygold butter makes these cookies especially delicious. King Arthur flour has a rich double dark cocoa powder that I love. Any cookie cutter would be beautiful with the embossed designs.

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