It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Hello my dear, dear friends.

The holiday season has just rolled around the corner.

{Well, not really. That was a long time ago. But I'm slow.}

[THERE ISN'T EVEN SNOW ON THE GROUND HERE]

But anyway, I have a very special treat for you all.

(It's so worth the wait, I promise)

I discovered this recipe a few years ago and made them for my family and friends. 

Everyone loved me.

There's just something about that mix of ginger and cinnamon and maple syrup.

So let's get cookin'!

First, sift all your dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl, and cut your butter into small pieces.

Blend your butter and dry ingredients together with the butter either by rubbing the butter in with your hands or by mixing it all up with a mixer.

I used my food processor.

Blend it all together until it looks a bit like breadcrumbs.

Then, add in all your wet ingredients, and blend. 

{You might need to use your hands for this if you used the food processor}

Stick the dough in the fridge for a half hour or so, covered.

Roll it out and cut or shape it into whatever your heart desires!

What I did was shape them into little balls, like drop cookies, and then dipped the bottom of a glass into melted butter, then sugar, and pressed the cookies flat.

They were delicious.

And they disappeared fast. 

So, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and have a lovely winter.

-With Love, 

Emily

Golden Gingerbread

(From Gingerbread: Houses, Animals, and Decorations by Joanna Farrow)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 Tablespoons sweet butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 egg yolk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Rub the butter into the flour in a large bowl, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (Or use a mixer/food processor)

Add the sugar, syrup, and egg yolk and mix or process to a firm dough. Knead lightly.

Wrap and chill for 30 minutes before shaping. 

Bake for about 12 minutes, until cookies just start to color around the edges.