Best Ginger Butter Cookies Recipes

SPEKULATIUS 1 (CINNAMON, ALMOND & GINGER BUTTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit (200 Centigrade / Gas Mark 6).
• Grease a baking sheet.
• Mix the flour and Baking powder together in a bowl.
• Make a well in the middle and put in the egg, sugar and spices and slowly work it all into a thick dough.
• Cut the cold butter into pieces and together with the ground almonds put on top of dough.
• Cover it all with a little more flour and knead it well to form a smooth dough. Note: If the dough is too sticky or gets warm, cool it a little in the refrigerator.
• Some recipes call for the dough to be left to rest for an hour in the refrigerator at this point.
• Roll out the dough nice and thin (they *are supposed* to be about 1/8th inch thick). If using flaked almonds on the top, sprinkle a few over the dough and pat into it very lightly.
• Cut out the cookies with Christmas Cookiecutters.
• Put Cookies onto greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 400F / 200C (Gas Mk 6) on the top slot in the Oven for about 15 minutes.
• Normally cut into Christmas tree, people, partridge and gift parcel shapes.
• Lightly Adapted From recipe posted by : Brigitte Sealing, Cyberealm BBS, Watertown, NY 315-786-1120.
• These are known as Speculaas or Speculoos in Belgium and the Belgians claim to have invented them :) Some German recipes call for ground hazelnuts rather than ground almonds but Belgian recipes don't. I've had them with hazelnuts in and they're very nice, so given the price of ground almonds -- :).

LIME GINGER BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• To prepare the cookies, whisk together the first three dry ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.
• With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy.
• Beat in the limeade concentrate the lime zest.
• Reduce the speed to low and blend in the flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.
• Divide the dough in half; roll each half into a ball and flatten to a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours over overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
• Divide dough disk into 24 tablespoon sized pieces. Roll each into a ball and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
• Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the balls into 2-inch rounds.
• Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies just beginning to turn golden around the edges, 10-12 minutes.
• Cool completely on a rack.
• Let the baking sheets cool, then repeat with the remaining dough.
• To prepare the glaze: combine the confectioner's sugar, lime zest and juice, the water, and food coloring, if using, in a small bowl; stir, adding a little more water, if necessary, to make a smooth glaze. Spread a thin layer onto each cookie. Let stand 15 minutes to allow the glaze to set.

GINGER BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two baking sheets. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
• In large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs. Beat in lemon zest. Gradually blend in dry ingredients.
• Roll out dough on floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out cookies using a 2 inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly colored. Cool on wire racks.

GINGER-TOUCHED OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the eggs, peanut butter and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and ground ginger, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats and candied ginger. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container when cool.

GINGER BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
• Beat butter, sugar, gingers and vanilla until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Gradually add flour, mixing until blended.
• Form cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheets; bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and lightly browned. Cool.
• Sprinkle cookie tops with powdered sugar, if desired.

GINGER-TOUCHED OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the eggs, peanut butter and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and ground ginger, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats and candied ginger. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container when cool.