Spiced gingerbread sticks, ideal for sharing, dipping, or decorating with festive touches for the holidays.
# Components:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
11 - 1/4 cup molasses
12 - 1 large egg
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ For Decoration (optional)
14 - 1 cup powdered sugar
15 - 2 to 3 teaspoons milk or lemon juice
16 - Festive sprinkles, colored sugars, or melted white chocolate
# Method:
01 - Whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly blended.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and packed brown sugar with an electric mixer or whisk until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined.
04 - Gradually blend in dry ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms and no streaks remain.
05 - Divide dough in half and shape each portion into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On lightly floured surface, roll out each dough rectangle to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into sticks approximately 1/2 by 4 inches using a knife or pastry cutter.
08 - Place cookie sticks 1 inch apart on prepared sheets to allow for even baking.
09 - Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are just set and centers remain soft. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
10 - Stir together powdered sugar with enough milk or lemon juice to create a thick glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookie sticks and decorate with sprinkles or melted white chocolate as desired.
