I woke up this morning thinking Donuts would be good for #brealfast but then I was online and found out November 21st is National Gingerbready Cookie Day #GingerbreadCookieDay and instead of Donuts I was thinking Gingerbread Cookies would taste amazing. I just wish my dad and Suzzie was here to have Cookies and Milk or Coffee with me. Since they can’t. Would you like to join me for #GingerbreadCookies & Milk?
People celebrate National Gingerbread Cookie Day annually on November 21st. Gingerbread Cookie Day is the perfect time to celebrate as the holiday season is not too far away. Gingerbread Cookies instantly make us feel warm and cozy.
Gingerbread Cookies are tasty, and no amount of Gingerbread Cookies will be enough. Th rich flavor profile of a Gingerbread Cookie makes you want to keep going back for more. Gingerbread Cookies come in all shapes and sizes, but Gingerbread Man Cookies are the most popular ones.
Gingerbread has been around for Centuries. The Ancient Greeks and Egyptians often used Gingerbread for ceremonial purposes. Later, in the 11th Century, crusaders brought Ginger into Europe from the Middle East
It was in the 16th Century that Gingerbread Figural Biscuits made their first appearance. Queen Elizabeth I of England asked her staff to make Gingerbread figures that looked like the foreign dignitaries and the other guests of honor and later presented them in the likeness of some of her very important guests.
In England, Gingerbread Biscuits were also sold around the 17th Century in Monasteries, Pharmacies, and Farmers’ Markets. In certain places like Nuremberg and Pulsnitz in Germany, it is regarded as an art form. The German version of Gingerbread Cookies is known as Lebkuchen and has been around for over 400 years.
These are often heart-shaped and decorated with names and messages of love written in icing. Gingerbread Cookies are also highly regarded as art in Torun in Poland, Tula in Russia, Pest in Hungary, Pardubice, Prague in the Czech Republic, and Lyon in France. Later as years went by, Gingerbread tied with ribbons became a popular feature at local fairs and were even exchanged as a token of love.
Now Gingerbread Cookies are popular in many Western Countries and especially baked around the holiday season. You can make a Gingerbread house, Gingerbread Cake, Gingerbread Biscuits, or simply Gingerbread Cookies, and munch your way through Gingerbread during the holidays and soak in the warm and spicy flavors.
National Gingerbread Cookie Day Activities
- During the holiday season, get your family together and bake a giant batch of Gingerbread Cookies. You can use some for home and give Gingerbread Cookies to your family or friends.
- You can donate Gingerbread Cookies to Homeless Shelters so everyone can feel a part of the festivities and traditions.
- Everyone makes round, star-shaped, or Gingerbread Men Cookies, so be a little different. You can experiment with the shapes, and ingredients, mold the Cookie into Animal or Tree shapes, switch up some ingredients, and add your own flavor.
- Christmas time calls for celebrations, so why not host a party? Make the theme Gingerbread and serve only desserts made with Gingerbread and look for decorations featuring Gingerbread people to decorate with.
Facts About Gingerbread
- The term ‘Gingerbread’ was originally used to refer to preserved Ginger.
- Did you know Nuremberg in Germany is known as the Gingerbread capital of the world?
- At one time, only Catholic Monks made European Gingerbreads in the shape of Angels and Saints.
- It’s time for a #RadTrip and lets go see the life-size Gingerbread house at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain in Tucson, Arizona.
- Did you know you should take Gingerbread in the palm of your hand and make a wish, then you break the Gingerbread, and if it breaks into three pieces, your wish will come true. I think I will try this today. Would you like to join me?
Why People Love National Gingerbread Cookie Day
The minute we think of Gingerbread Cookies, people usually think of Christmas because Gingerbread is usually made during the holiday season and Gingerbread is perfect for the Weather as well.
Gingerbread is an age-old tradition, people still enjoy Gingerbread just as much, and Gingerbread keeps the festive spirit alive.
Gingerbread Cookies are super delicious and will always leave you feeling like one isn’t enough. Kids and adults enjoy Gingerbread Cookies, and the Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Molasses, and other Spices make Gingerbread rich, warm, and spicy.
Recipe for Gingerbread Cookies
½ cup margarine, softened
½ cup white sugar
1 large egg yolk
½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground ginger, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste
Directions
Beat margarine and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until mostly incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, another 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, then molasses.
Whisk sifted flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg in a separate bowl until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture to the molasses mixture, beating until well blended and smooth.
Divide dough in half and form each into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 to 3 hours, or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Working with one disk at a time, and leaving remaining disk in the refrigerator, unwrap chilled dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Working from the center to the edges, roll dough with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 inch.
Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters, dipping the cutters into flour as needed so they don’t stick to the dough. Fit the cookie cutters as closely together as possible to cut as many cookies as you can. This will minimize the number of times you have to re-roll the dough.
Transfer gingerbread cookies to ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Gather any dough scraps into a ball, flatten, re-wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to use for later batches.
Bake each sheet in the preheated oven until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool while you finish rolling, cutting, and baking the remaining cookies.
Frost or decorate cooled gingerbread cookies as desired.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
