gingerbread cookie

Sally McKenney’s gingerbread cookies have soft centres and crisp edges, with molasses, brown sugar and a generous blend of ground spices. She adapts her mother’s recipe, increasing its molasses and spice flavours.

Ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves are whisked with flour, baking soda and salt. Unsalted butter is beaten with the selected light brown sugar and molasses before egg and vanilla are added.

The dry mixture joins the creamed ingredients to make a thick, slightly sticky dough. Divided into two wrapped discs, it chills until firm enough to roll and cut.

Each disc is rolled on a generously floured surface, with flour also on the hands and rolling pin. Cut shapes go onto lined baking sheets, and the scraps are rolled again to use the same dough.

The baked cookies cool briefly on their sheets, then completely on a rack. They can remain plain or receive the optional selected easy cookie icing; the spice-rich biscuit is the centre of this version.