Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

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SOFT + CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 2–3 hours
Cook Time: 9–11 minutes
Yield: About 24 cookies
Category: Cookies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• 1/4 cup molasses

For Rolling

• 1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients:
   In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2. Cream butter & sugar:
   In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the wet ingredients:
   Beat in the egg until fully incorporated.
   Add the orange juice and molasses and mix until combined.

4. Combine wet & dry:
   Add the dry ingredients in small batches, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Chill the dough:
   Refrigerate for 2–3 hours.
   (If short on time, freeze for at least 30 minutes.)

6. Prep the oven:
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

7. Shape the cookies:
   Scoop dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each.
   Roll each ball in the 1/4 cup sugar.
   Lightly flatten the tops so they’re about 1/2-3/4 inch thick.

8. Bake:
   Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft.

9. Cool:
   Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack. Store in fridge 3-5 days or freeze and enjoy whenever.

10. ENJOY!!

ADVENT CALENDAR IDEAS

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December is almost among us friends! In our family, we’ve done advent calendars for years. Mostly chocolate but sometimes toy ones. This year we decided to do our Advent Calendar with acts of kindness + fun Christmas activities. We want our kids to be reminded to look for ways to be a blessing to others. And of course, I will add some chocolate to it as well :)

This year I created a new document with 30 ideas you can choose from. Feel free to download it and be sure to tag me on IG if you use it!

ADVENT CALENDAR IDEAS

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And just like that it’s December 1st! Is your family into Advent Calendars? We’ve been doing them for a number of years but instead of just chocolate, we add some Christmas activities and acts of kindness. We got our calendar from Joures. Use code LAURA15 for 15% off your purchase over $50.

This year I created a document with ideas to put in your advent calendar. Feel free to download it here!

OREO + PEPPERMINT OREO TRUFFLES

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A couple of weeks ago I hosted a holiday baking exchange with a few friends and I made these delicious oreo truffles! (I'm embarrassed to say that ALL of the treats we made and received are now gone...#sugaraddict)

To add some variety, I made two batches. The first batch was covered with milk chocolate and oreo crumbs and the second batch had peppermint filling inside covered with white chocolate and crushed candy cane! They were both sooo good but my preference was chocolate all the way.

They didn't take crazy long but melting chocolate and dipping the truffles does take some time! Thankfully I had James to help me with that task!

Bring these to share at a holiday party and everyone will just love you.

OREO TRUFFLES

*Makes about three dozen truffles

Ingredients:

• 40 oreos
• 1lb (453 grams) of good chocolate. I used Bernard Callebaut from Thriftys in the baking aisle.
  If you're doing both flavours and don't want to double to recipe, purchase 1/2 pound of white and 1/2 pound of milk chocolate.
• 1 package of cream cheese, softened
• Peppermint extract
• Crushed Candy Cane

Directions:

1. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper and set aside.
2. Crush 36 of the 40 oreos in a food processor OR in a freezer size ziploc bag until the oreos are fine crumbs.
3. In an upright mixer (or by a large mixing bowl) mix crushed oreos and cream cheese until completely mixed. If you're making the peppermint version add 1.5tsp in at this point and mix in.
4. Scoop about 1tbsp out and roll into a ball then place on cookie sheet.
5. Place truffles in the freezer for about 15 minutes
6. Crush remaining 4 oreos or candy cane aka whatever you want the topping to be.
7. Melt chocolate. I don't have a double broiler so I melted in the microwave and they turned out great.
8. Dip truffle in melted chocolate then place on baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle topping on truffle.
9. Place in the fridge until ready to eat!
10. Enjoy!!

Happy baking!

XO,
laura

SOME THOUGHTS ON CHRISTMAS

Christmas tends to bring a mixed bag of feelings to people. for some, Christmas is filled with high levels of anticipation and excitement as one looks forward to family dinners, church services, baking, decorations, lights, etc… for others Christmas time tends to be filled with anxiety, stress, and depression. the days are shorter. the weather is colder. the family is non-existent… 

i tend to relate more to the former. i get excited to bake and decorate and buy gifts for people. i get caught up in watching Christmas specials and eat way too many sweets. but i also have some not so fond Christmas memories…fights with siblings. that family member continually commenting on my second helping of dinner. the first Christmas after my parents separated…

if i’m not careful, i can either find myself being consumed with commercialistic Christmas or caught up in dark moments of Christmas past…

neither of these perspectives are healthy. i’m thankful for God’s truth that brings us into a clear perspective. i stumbled upon this beautiful verse a few summers ago. it sheds some serious light on the true meaning of Christmas.

it’s a prophetic word proclaimed by John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah. John the Baptist had just been born (which was a miracle in itself because his parents were old and had been trying for a looong time!) and Zechariah starts praising God and prophesying (by the way, he hadn’t been able to speak, so him speaking was a miracle as well… just go and read Luke 1!!) i can just picture Zechariah holding and smiling down at his long awaited son…

"And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.

 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

                              -Luke 1:78-79 

Jesus coming to earth is what Christmas is about. He came to give LIGHT to those who sit in darkness and guide us all to the path of PEACE. now that is what Christmas is about. hope and peace and JESUS. isn’t it wonderful that Jesus came for both those who are caught up in Christmas craziness and those who want to push it all away? He came to bring you peace. He came to bring light to your dark situation. 

my prayer is that for a few moments this Christmas season, you would push aside the eggnog lattes, the gifts, the baking, the dwelling on Christmases past, the negativity, the loneliness and grab your Bible and sit. read Luke 1 and let verses 78-79 sink into your soul. allow God’s truth to wash over you. let His light come into the darkest parts of your mind. let His peace fill every single part of you. and then read luke 2 and be in awe of God’s great gift for you.

xoxo,

s.s.♥.