I am by no means a cookie expert.  I have been reading the Gingerbread recipes here on this site.  I am curious I see some comments "this is not suitable for houses".  

I am trying to figure out, is a Gingerbread cookie suppose to be hard an crunchy like the GingerSnaps you buy at the store?  Or is a true homemade Gingerbread cookie firm & crisp on the outside but soft on the inside?

I am just not sure what to expect when I make a Gingerbread cookie.  It is not something my mom ever made and honestly the only thing I've ever eaten was from a box bought at the grocery store.

Jennifer

TIA

I imagine opinions on this will vary. For me gingersnaps specify a harder cookie. Gingerbread men are often made from a softer cookie. Personally I use a "snap" recipe for all my ginger cookies. But they don't stay hard forever, at least in the humidity where I live. The main difference is the amount of flour. When making a house which nobody's going to eat, I add extra flour.

my gingerbread cookies and structures are crispy on the edges and softer in the middle but i will usually overbake my structures--gingerbread is sweeter if it is real brown--i ice my stuff with white chocolate or the 'almond bark'--the vegetable fat 'chocolate', the cheap stuff--

but they do not have to be crispy on the edges--can be left soft throughout--

look for a thread on here -- it's been up recently a looong thread about gingerbread--great info in there--you may have already seen it--

i am actually eating g'bread right now--i made about 10 quarts of dough--and it's real warm & spicey--i added a touch too much cayenne (i sub some ginger for cayenne because it's a smoother heat--not bitter like ginger can get) so when it's cold outside it's especially wonderful--and cayenne is a great anti-inflamatory too--win win win with the aromatherapy factored in as well--

anyhow i ♥ me some gingerbread--

--you should see my dog resting he head on my knee staring up at me--'cause he likes g'bread too! ha!

Thank you so much for the replies.  I will look for that thread I haven't seen it yet.

I love the Cayenne idea and may have to try that it sounds yummy.  

I will definitely play around a little with the amount of flour.

Jennifer

viola

http://cakecentral.com/t/604431/anyone-interested-in-doing-a-gingerbread-house-thread

i mean i think if we all stopped for some nice gingerbread the world would be a better place--from quiet, unassuming and homely to the heights of creativity

http://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/blogs/watch-the-creation-of-the-2013-white-house-gingerbread-house

AViola?

a melodious typo

a musical typo