Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the milk with the fresh ginger and set aside. This will infuse the milk with ginger

Mix Dry Ingredients

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, ground ginger powder, salt and grated nutmeg. Set aside.

Mix Wet Ingredients

1. In a separate bowl using a mixer (hand or stand mixer) cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla, then mix until fully combined.

Mix the Dough

1. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing after each addition. Stir in the milk & ginger until the dough comes together. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix.

2. Shape the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and flatten each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap both disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the Oven

1. Set the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut out the Cookies

1. Roll out the dough in between 2 pieces of parchment paper on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters or cut by hand to create desired shapes. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a 2” space between each cookie because they will expand.

2. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 7 to 10 minutes - for reference, using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cookies typically bake in 7 minutes, the larger 5-inch houses will take closer to 10 minutes.
3. Bake until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. To ensure soft and chewy cookies, remove them from the oven when they appear slightly under-baked. Baking time may vary depending on your oven, cookie cutter size, and texture preference.
4. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. At this point you may want to trim up the houses with a sharp knife, to get straighter lines and add more details to the houses, as we did.

Make the Royal Icing

1. Ensure the egg white is at room temperature for easier mixing. Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg white with an electric mixer or whisk until frothy, about 1 minute.
3. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until smooth and thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Mix in 1 teaspoons of vinegar and check the consistency. If it feels too thick to pipe, add a few more drops of vinegar until you reach your desired consistency. For piping and outlining, the icing should hold its shape but flow smoothly.
5. Use Immediately, royal icing dries quickly when exposed to air so transfer to a piping bag(s) right away. Snip off a little end of the tip. (Start with a small cut, test the thickness, then cut a larger hole if needed.) Decorate as desired.
6. Optional, sift powdered sugar over the cookies for a snowy effect.

Tip:

1. Store any leftover icing in the piping bags or cover the bowl in plastic wrap then place in an airtight container or bag. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.