Gingerbread Rounds

We were thinking about making a gingerbread house. We had an old kit, but it was too old to use. I made up some dough to make a house, but we got busy. We made gingerbread rounds instead.

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120ml) dark molasses
  (I used 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 brown sugar)
• 2 Tablespoons water

Royal Icing:

• 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
• 3 Tablespoons meringue powder
• 9–10 Tablespoons room temperature water
     

Instructions:

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
2. Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. 
3. Into the sugar/butter mix, beat in the egg, molasses (or substitute), and water at high speed.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat as needed to combine.
5. On low speed, mix in the 1/3 at a time of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. The dough will be quite thick.
6. Divide the dough in half, flatten into about 5" diameter discs.
7. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 half-sheet baking pans with silicone baking mats.
9. Using a small cookie scoop, grab about 2 tablespoons dough and roll into balls. Place balls about 1 inch apart on the baking pan.
10. Cook for 12 - 14 minutes - the bottoms will brown, bu the tops will still be soft.
11. Cool on wire racks.
12. Optionally decorate with Royal Icing and candies.
1. To make the icing, in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat all of the ingredients together for 5 minutes on high speed. 
2. The icing should drizzle off the beater and smooth out within 5-10 seconds. 
3. The icing should completely dries in about 2 hours at room temperature. You can pre-make it, and store it tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

Carole's Notes:

Doug liked these - they were a soft cookie. (I liked them finr for gingerbread.)

The recipe based on https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/gingerbread-house/ and
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/royal-icing/

If making a house, Gingerbread House Template is here : https://cdn.sallysbakingaddiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Sallys-Baking-Addiction-Gingerbread-House-Template.pdf
The recipe is adapted from