Cookie dough
2 cups all-purpose flour1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon of baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup canola oil or corn oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
⅔ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup molasses (not black)
1 large egg
Zest of 1 finely grated orange
Cookie frosting
2 cups powdered confectioner's sugar, add more if needed2 tablespoons dried egg whites
4 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Natural red and green liquid dye
Preparation
- Dough: Whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the oil, butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and orange zest in a bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended.- Start with the mixer on low speed, then on medium speed, beat about half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Beat the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. It should be somewhat firm, but not at all dry. If it seems too sticky, add up to an additional 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
- Divide the dough into thirds. Lay one-third on a 12-inch-long sheet of parchment paper and shape it into a disk. Cover with a second sheet of parchment. Roll the dough between the parchment in an 8-inch circle about ¼ inch thick. Place the dough on the paper on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough. Freeze on the baking sheet until cool and firm, at least 30 minutes or even up to 1 day. Put another baking sheet in the freezer to cool as well (it will be used under the dough when the cookies are cut).
- To shape and bake cookies: Place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet (s) with parchment paper..
- Working with one portion of dough at a time, remove it from the freezer and place it on the cold baking sheet. Remove top sheet from parchment and cut cookies with 2½ to 3-inch cookie cutters. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet with a wide, thin spatula, spaced about 1½ inches. Repeat with the remaining batter. (If the dough becomes too soft, freeze until firm again. When you cut the cookies, set the leftovers aside, place all the leftovers on a disk, and roll them back into the parchment. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before cutting. ).
- Bake cookies on the center rack, one pan at a time, until golden brown on the bottom, 6 to 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.
Preparation of the glaze and decoration of the cookies:
- Mix powdered sugar and dried egg whites in a small bowl. Add the water, corn syrup, and vanilla (or almond) extract until smooth. Divide the icing between 3 small bowls and add a few drops of red dye to one and green dye to another for a white, red and green frosting. Add a little more powdered sugar if necessary to achieve a thicker consistency for the pipe. Place each color of frosting in a pastry bag with a writing tip or a small plastic bag with a small corner tip cut off. Piping designs on chilled biscuits. Let sit until icing sets before storing cookies.* Advance Tip: Cover and refrigerate the cookie dough for up to 1 day. Freeze rolled dough tightly for up to 3 months. Store baked cookies tightly in a single layer for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
