Spelt Gingerbread Cookies

"Come sit at my table and share with me,

Warm gingerbread cookies and cinnamon tea."

~Unknown 

If one could bottle the scent of Christmas cheer, it might smell something like gingerbread I think.  So delicious, fragrant, and comforting during the cooler months of the year. 

I found this recipe here but couldn't wait until December to start baking these little gems. They are packed with molasses and lots of warming spices. 

I try to use wheat flour as infrequently as possible in my baking, so I substituted the all-purpose flour for spelt instead and it turned out very well! 

(Side note: Since the gingerbread cookies are so dark anyway, it doesn't really matter if you use a non-white flour like spelt...plus you get the added protein, fibre, and other nutrients from this awesome grain!)

• Ingredients
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1/2 cups  Unbleached All-Purpose Flour OR Spelt Flour

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 Melt butter in a saucepan, then stir in brown sugar, molasses, salt, and spices. Transfer mixture to medium-sized mixing bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, and beat in egg.

Whisk baking powder and soda into flour, then stir dry ingredients into molasses mixture until dough forms. Divide dough in half, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. 

Once dough has chilled, take out one piece at a time, and flour a clean work surface, and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you like (for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly). Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer to parchment lined baking sheets

Bake cookies just until slightly brown around edges 8 to 12 minutes, or until they feel firm.  Cool on the baking sheets for several minutes, or until set. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Enjoy!!!

Note: Use flour under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin. Alternatively, place the dough on parchment, and put a sheet of plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate wrinkles as necessary when rolling; this will keep dough from sticking without the need for additional flour.