Stamped Gingerbread Cookies
I have been obsessed with Stamped Gingerbread Cookies for a while now. I mean, how cool are they?!? I am intrigued by their shape and history, I mean they have been around at least since the 1600s in Bavaria. Plus, they are so beautiful.
The Cookie Stamps
There are a ton of cookie stamps out there. You can find some really cool versions in antique stores and eBay. You can also find modern ones on different baking websites. I was looking for some winter shapes for mine, so I used Nordicware’s Frozen Collection. They worked perfectly! Look around though, I am sure you can find you will love as well!
Mixing The Dough
Now, let’s get started. You will mix the dough as you do with most traditional cookie dough. Start by creaming your butter and sugar together. Then add in your egg, molasses, Karo Syrup, and Vanilla. Mix again. I love my Bosch mixer so much. If you are in the market, check them out!
Now, you know I am obsessed with whole wheat flours in my baked goods, but for these cookies, I could not make them work with it! In fact, I tried this batch 4 times to get it right!! I got so sick of the cookies, my chickens got the rest! Which they were so excited about! The 4th time was the charm though, no wheat flour for these cookies.
CHILL!!
Now, it is best to chill your dough before working with it. An hour is best, but I prefer 2! The dough will be so much easier to work with when it has rested and chilled.
Rolling And Stamping The Cookies
Okay, you have a few options when it comes to shaping these cookies. One is you roll a ball, about the size of a golf ball, then press with the cookie stamp. I like this method, but it doesn’t give you a clean edge, as the cookies below. With those, I rolled it first, cut them out with a biscuit cutter, then stamp them with your stamps. Let me tell you the pros and cons of each. If you roll the ball and press, this is a really simple way to do it. One-step and done. The bad thing about this method is it is really easy to get cracks on the side of the cookie. The other way, shown below gives a beautiful edge, but you have 2 steps to do. Rolling first, then stamping. It depends on how picky you are about the perfection of the cookie!
There were several recommendations of how to keep the stamps from sticking to the cookie dough- freezing the stamps, sprinkling the dough with flour, or sprinkling with sugar. After trying all 3, let me just say, the sugar is the best option!! It is simple and if there is still some sticking to the cookie, it crystallizes on the surface and gives a great flavor!
Here are the stamped cookies, brushed with a touch of sugar. I like to freeze the cookies before baking again. It only takes about 5 minutes in the freezer and they are ready.
Maple Glaze
Most stamped cookies I have seen use a plain glaze, it is a mix of powdered sugar and milk. I wanted something different, so I went with a maple glaze. Let me tell you, the combo of gingerbread and maple is so good!!
The Finished Stamped Gingerbread Cookies
Below are the finished beautiful cookies! The first photo below is the cookies I rolled into a ball , then pressed with a stamp. They are still pretty, but can you see the jagged edges? That bothered me, so check the other photo below.
These cookies took a few more steps, but the edges are just perfect. So, roll the cookie, cut with a biscuit cutter, then stamp with the cookie stamps. A much prettier result, but more time consuming to get there.
More Cookie Recipes
If cookies are your thing, let me give you some more ideas!!
- The Lemon Cookies with Lemon Drizzle have been really popular on the blog!
- I love these Chocolate Chip Cookies with pretzels and caramel!
- If you are looking for a really pretty cookie, these shortbread cookies with edible flowers are just that!!
- Maybe you need a gluten-free cookie recipe? These flourless peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips are so good!!
- These flourless chocolate cookies are such a great gluten-free option too!
- My Carrot cake cookies have been one of the highest-ranking on the site for a while now!
- The last cookie I will share is a double chocolate cookie. These make a regular appearance at our house!
Stamped Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more to flour your surface for rolling.
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon karo syrup
- 1 egg
Maple Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- milk this amount is variable, depending on how much you need to get it to the consistency you are looking for.
Instructions
- Combine flour, cinnamon, cocoa, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt to a small bowl. Mix and set aside.In a medium-sized bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, molasses, and karo syrup on medium speed until they are well blended. Add egg and mix again. Now, add in your flour mixture and mix again, this time only to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour, preferably at least 2.Now, preheat oven to 350 degrees.Lightly flour your work surface. Or you can roll your dough on a piece of parchment. It is kind of tough to roll on the parchment, but it so much easier than transferring the cookies after rolling and cutting. So, roll your cookies to about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle the top with sugar and stamp the cookies by pressing firmly, but quickly on the cookie top. The sugar helps the stamp to not stick to the cookie top. Place the stamped cookies in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Once they are set in the freezer, place in the oven. Bake for about 12 minutes. You want the edges to be set a bit, but not overdone. Remove from the oven. Allow them to cool about 3-5 minutes on the cookies sheet, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Once they are fairly cool, brush the maple glaze over the top. We like a lot of glaze, so I am generous on this step. These cookies are best the day you bake them. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them, don't glaze them before freezing. When you are ready for them, bring them to room temp and glaze. They are also really good a day later, after that, they aren't so good!Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!!
Maple Glaze
- Add powdered sugar, maple extract, maple syrup and 1 tablespoon milk to a medium-sized bowl. Mix well with a hand mixer or whisk. Now, add more milk as needed.The glaze needs to be pretty thin, otherwise you lose the stamped look on the cookies. So, add as much milk as you need, in small amounts at a time.
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