Ginger Bread Cookies in a Ginger Bread Bowl
Submitted by kristyintx
Gingerbread cookies in a gingerbread bowl: edible holiday centerpiece of spiced gingerbread shaped into a fluted bowl and filled with matching cut-out cookies. A holiday gift-giving showstopper.
YIELD
3 batchesPREP
15 minCOOK
40 minREADY
55 minThis isn’t just a cookie recipe, it’s a holiday project. Rich, molasses-deep gingerbread dough gets shaped over the outside of an inverted glass bowl, baked into a sturdy edible container, then filled with matching cut-out cookies for the kind of centerpiece that actually gets eaten instead of just looked at.
Rolled thick at a quarter-inch, the bowl holds its shape, while the cookies rolled an eighth-inch stay crisp.
The aluminum foil wrap on the glass bowl is the unsung hero of this project. It lets you peel the baked gingerbread off cleanly without sticking, while giving the dough a smooth curved surface to shape against. Don’t skip it, and don’t skimp on pressing the foil smoothly against the glass.
Chilling the dough for at least two hours makes it firm enough to roll without tearing. Warm dough with molasses in it turns sticky fast.
Punching small cut-outs around the top edge (hearts, stars, holly) isn’t just decorative. After baking, those holes let you weave a ribbon through the rim and tie it into a bow, which is the key finishing touch for gift presentation.
Kitchen Tips
- Remember the bowl is inverted while baking, so the design around the rim will be at the top when flipped, plan shapes accordingly
- Use an oven-proof glass bowl only, ceramic or metal can crack or cause uneven browning
- Let the gingerbread bowl cool fully on the glass before peeling away foil, hot gingerbread is fragile
- Store the unfilled bowl in a large tin at room temperature, it keeps for a week
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Cream butter and sugars.
Beat in molasses, corn syrup, and eggs until smooth.
In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients and blend.
Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture.
Dough will be stiff. Divide dough into fourths and wrap each in plastic wrap.
Chill at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Smoothly cover the outside of an oven proof glass bowl with aluminum foil.
On a lightly floured surface roll out one of the fourths with a floured rolling pin into a ¼ inch thick circle.
Transfer dough to the outside of the bowl, pressing firmly onto bowl.
Make a nice fluted bowl edge.
Use a small 1 inch cookie cutter any shape desired, (hearts, holly) and cut out shapes around bowl edge.
(Remember the bowl is going to be turned over when pressing in design.)Place inverted bowl on a baking sheet and bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 25 to 30 minutes or til firm to the touch.
Allow to cool on glass bowl.
Carefully loosen foil and remove foil and gingerbread bowl from glass bowl.
Roll out remaining dough ⅛ inch thick and cut out shapes.
Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, cool on rack.
Makes 1 bowl and 3 dozen cookies.
I weave a red ribbon through the shapes I cut in the bowl, and tie into a bow.
Fill with cookies and cover in colored cellophane.
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