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White chocolate dipped gingerbread cookies in star and gingerbread-person shapes on waxed paper

White Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies

Spiced cut-out gingerbread cookies made with blackstrap molasses and dark brown sugar, baked at 350°F and half-dipped in melted white chocolate.
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Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling time 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 3 dozen cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 12 ounces white chocolate baking squares chopped
  • 1/4 cup organic shortening

Method
 

Cookies
  1. In a small bowl, stir the egg together with the molasses, water and vanilla, then set it aside.
  2. Measure the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix them: the flour, baking soda, sea salt, brown sugar and all of the ground spices.
  3. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a fork, a knife or a pastry blender.
  4. Add the molasses mixture and mix with the dough hook until a dough comes together, then keep the mixer running for 5-7 minutes to knead it.
  5. Take the dough out of the bowl, form it into a ball, cover it tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  6. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
  7. Roll the dough 1/8 inch thick with one sheet of waxed paper under it and another on top. Expect the dough to be cold and slightly sticky.
  8. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and set them about 1 inch apart on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Gather the scraps into a ball, roll again to 1/8 inch and cut more cookies, repeating until the dough is used up.
  9. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are firm and the tops look dry. Leave the cookies on the sheet for 2 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
White chocolate coating
  1. Melt the chopped white chocolate with the shortening in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, just until smooth. White chocolate scorches easily, so keep the heat low.
  2. Dip each cooled cookie halfway into the melted chocolate, then rest it on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet until the coating hardens, about 30 minutes.

Notes

Yield is 3-5 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cutters.
The white chocolate coating is optional; the cookies can be served plain.
The recipe this is adapted from kneads the dough by hand on a floured counter instead of in a stand mixer.
Make-ahead: the wrapped dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, in layers separated by wax paper, for up to 1 week. Undipped cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Adapted from a recipe by Spice Islands.