Line 2 light-colored, heavy baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt, set aside. To a large mixing bowl, add butter, granulated and brown sugars, Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Chocolate Extract; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg until combined. Add molasses, beat until combined. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients in three batches, beating after each addition, until just combined.
Divide dough into 2 even pieces, press each piece into a disk shape, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Working with one piece of dough at a time, place on a clean, lightly floured surface*. Roll dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 3/4-inch cookie cutter, cut desired cookie shapes. Transfer cookies to prepared cookie sheets using a thin metal spatula. Bake about 8-10 minutes, remove and place cookies on wire rack to cool.
For a crispier cookie, roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness and adjust baking time accordingly.
In a small bowl, whisk together Pure Almond Extract, meringue powder, water and confectioners’ sugar, until smooth. Select a small round pastry tip, prepare a pastry bag and creatively pipe icing onto cooled cookies.
*For dusting the rolling surface and pin, in a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. This will help keep the cookies a nice chocolaty brown.
No time to make icing? Before placing cookies in the oven, generously sprinkle chocolate gingerbread cutouts with coarse sugar.
Line 2 light-colored, heavy baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt, set aside. To a large mixing bowl, add butter, granulated and brown sugars, Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Chocolate Extract; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg until combined. Add molasses, beat until combined. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients in three batches, beating after each addition, until just combined.
Divide dough into 2 even pieces, press each piece into a disk shape, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Working with one piece of dough at a time, place on a clean, lightly floured surface*. Roll dough to a 0.6-centimeter thickness. Using a 7-centimeter cookie cutter, cut desired cookie shapes. Transfer cookies to prepared cookie sheets using a thin metal spatula. Bake about 8-10 minutes, remove and place cookies on wire rack to cool.
For a crispier cookie, roll dough to a 0.3-centimeter thickness and adjust baking time accordingly.
In a small bowl, whisk together Pure Almond Extract, meringue powder, water and confectioners’ sugar, until smooth. Select a small round pastry tip, prepare a pastry bag and creatively pipe icing onto cooled cookies.
*For dusting the rolling surface and pin, in a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. This will help keep the cookies a nice chocolaty brown.
No time to make icing? Before placing cookies in the oven, generously sprinkle chocolate gingerbread cutouts with coarse sugar.
Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
Pure Chocolate Extract
Pure Almond Extract
