Sweet Kitchen Cravings

0 Gingerbread Cookies: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until combined and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bowl well, then with the mixer on low speed, add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. The mixture will look curdled/separated at this point.
1 In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt until combined.
2 Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl again, then add the dry ingredient mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overmix. Finish the dough by kneading it a few times with your hands to ensure it is fully combined.
3 Press the dough into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4 Once the dough is chilled, line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5 Place the disc of dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and roll it out to about ⅜” thickness. The dough can be any shape, as long as it is ⅜” thick. As you roll, rotate the dough to prevent it from sticking, sprinkling more flour underneath and on top as needed.
6 Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough, and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Chill the cookies in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F while they chill.
8 Press the scraps of dough together, re-roll and cut out shapes 2 or 3 more times, until there is no dough left. Continue to chill each sheet of cookies for 10-15 minutes before baking, to prevent spreading.
9 Once the cookies have chilled, bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies have puffed up and no longer appear wet on top.
10 Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before decorating.
11 Buttercream Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, creamy, and light in color, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
12 Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and heavy cream to the bowl. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are combined, so the powdered sugar doesn’t spill out. Scrape the bowl well with a rubber spatula.
13 Once all the ingredients are combined, continue to mix the buttercream on low speed for an additional 5-10 minutes to make it smooth, creamy, and help remove any air bubbles.
14 Decorating: Fill a piping bag fitted with a coupler and #2 piping tip, with the buttercream. Pipe the frosting onto the cookies as desired and enjoy!