‘Tis the season for the annual gingerbread cookie factory!
Over the years our lives have become busier from homeschooling, so I try to make everything as efficient as possible.
Although I originally wrote this post when we lived in Texas, I thought I’d share how I continue the basic theme with a few twists now that we are in Virginia.
Since we are even busier with rhetoric classes, we also visit Colonial Williamsburg for four days the first weekend in December to enjoy Grand Illumination.
Then in mid-December the kids and I return to Colonial Williamsburg to meet George Whitefield at Bruton Parish Church.
It’s nice to come home to a house that’s already decorated, especially with some Christmas cookies awaiting our arrival.
DECORATING WORKSHOP
The day after Thanksgiving we take advantage of the long weekend by beginning our Christmas decorating.
While playing Christmas carols the kids are taking over more of the decorating, which frees me up for some kitchen work.
Since we love appetizers, I usually create a few to keep handily in access on the island for those who want to grab a bit in between Christmas preparations.
For dinner we enjoy turkey leftovers.
In between I whip up batches of some of our favorite no-stress Christmas cookies: magic cookie bars, dark chocolate fudge, and bark.
Then I mix the ingredients for spicy gingerbread cookies.
Once the dough is assembled, I flatten the dough out in baggies to store in the fridge to bake later.
BAKING GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Since the dough is assembled and chilled, I need only take it out to soften a bit on any day with time for baking.
Once baked and cooled, we collect the cookies into an air tight container for decorating.
DECORATING GINGERBREAD COOKIES
This week my son wanted to decorate the cookies, since his school work was caught up.
Showing him a page from a magazine I had cut out years ago, I showed him my dream cookies.
Although I tried, I wasn’t very good. Would he be willing to decorate the cookies in this style?
After figuring out the proper consistency of icing to pipe onto the cookies, he created beautiful lacework.
These are my favorite cookies ever!
