It’s already the first week of January, and as usual, I missed the boat on posting about all the Christmas cookies I made – because somehow this year, I ended up doing three separate rounds of cookie baking madness: one for the Food52 Holiday Swap (which I actually *did* manage to post about, whew!), the second a few weeks before Christmas to take to a family celebration in Vancouver, and the third in the days before Christmas when I decided I wasn’t happy with my existing cookie selection. This third bout of cookie baking madness included these soft gingerbread cookies from Tartine, which is a recipe I’ve had bookmarked for ages. Last year I made a similar cookie from the book Sweet which included a rum-butter glaze that was absolutely to die for, however the gingerbread itself wasn’t my favourite. So I kept the glaze and instead put it on the Tartine cookies, and holy cow, these cookies won Christmas! Nate and I both loved them. The spice level is perfect – cinnamony and gingery with a hint of molasses and black pepper – and they have a lovely soft texture. And that glaze! *heart eyes*

Perhaps the best thing about these soft gingerbread cookies is that while they are a rolled cookie (I finally got to use my patterned rolling pin!), you don’t have to cut them out individually with a cookie cutter. I mean, you could if you wanted, but they can also be baked as giant cookie sheet-sized slabs and then glazed and cut into pieces with a sharp knife. This is definitely a bonus when you are at the tail end of your third instalment of cookie baking, let me tell you.

Another great thing about them is that they keep really well – we are still enjoying the last few of these cookies two weeks later, and they are just as delicious as when they were freshly baked. I will definitely be baking them again for future Christmases, and I suggest you do, too!

Happy New Year, friends – may 2020 bring you all the good things, including lots of cookies 🙂

Soft Gingerbread Squares with Rum-Butter Glaze

Gingerbread adapted very slightly from Tartine. Glaze adapted very slightly from Sweet. Makes lots. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:

3 3/4 cups (525 g) all purpose flour

1 tbsp cocoa powder

4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, finely ground

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together:

1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (170 g) granulated white sugar

When light and fluffy, add beat in 1 large egg.

Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then add:

1/2 cup (155 g) dark molasses (I used “fancy molasses”)

2 tbsp light corn syrup or golden syrup

Mix until well combined, then scrape down the bowl again.

Add the flour mixture all at once and mix in on low speed until if forms a cohesive dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Divide the dough in half and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten into a rectangle about 1 inch thick, and wrap in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about an hour, until it is firm enough to work with but still soft enough to roll out.

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F) with the oven racks the top and bottom thirds of then oven. Have 2 large baking sheets ready.

Place a silicon baking mat or piece of parchment paper on your work surface and flour it lightly. Roll out one half of the chilled dough on top of this, to a thickness of about 1/3 inch.

Lightly flour the top of the dough and use a patterned rolling pin to emboss the dough with a pattern, rolling it to about 1/4 inch thick in the process. Transfer the rolled out dough on the mat/paper to one of the baking sheets and place in the fridge to chill until firm. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Once the dough is chilled firm, bake it in the preheated 350˚F (325˚F) oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden along the edges and still soft to the touch in the middle, rotating the pans top to bottom and from to back halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and place the pans on racks to cool for about 10 minutes.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together:

1 1/3 cups icing sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

2 tbsp dark rum (I used dark spiced rum – yum!)

2 tsp water

You want to achieve a smooth and liquid glaze with the consistency of runny honey, so add a few extra drops of water if needed.

When the glaze is ready and the cookies are still warm, use a pastry brush to brush the glaze evenly over the cookies – you should use almost all of it. Allow the cookies to cool completely and the glaze to set.

Once the cookies are cooled and set, use a small sharp knife to trim the edges straight and cut the cookie slabs into 1 1/2 – 2 inch squares. Transfer to an airtight container and layer them between wax paper. The cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks.