Rescue your gingerbread cookies with citrus magic
The closer it gets to the holidays, the more intense the smell of gingerbread spices becomes. Decorating gingerbread cookies together is a fun activity for the entire family, and eating the cookies is also a pleasure. However, sometimes they can be hard and unpleasantly crunchy. You can easily save them from ending up in the trash.
Hard gingerbread can effectively deter you from baking. After all the long kneading, rolling, cutting, baking, and decorating—oops! Instead of crying over spilled milk and trying to bite into tears with gingerbread cookies as hard as rocks, reach for a container and check your fruit basket. Oranges and lemons can save the gingerbread disaster.
Why gingerbread is hard
The most common reason is that the dough is rolled too thin, which causes the cookies to dry out quickly and harden. Also, pay attention to the baking time. If the gingerbread cookies spend too much time in the oven, they can dry out and harden. If you notice them burning, reduce the baking time or lower the temperature. Remember that thicker cookies will require longer baking than thinner ones.
Although artificial honey raises many controversies, and it's better to avoid it when shopping, it works well for gingerbread cookies. During baking, the health benefits disappear anyway. Artificial honey can make the dough more moist and therefore soft. If you have some sitting in your cupboard, now's a good time to use it.
After baking, gingerbread cookies should be stored in an airtight container. If left out in the open, they will quickly lose moisture and become hard.
How to save hard gingerbread?
Hard gingerbread doesn't have to be a tree ornament or decoration. A simple trick will make them soft and tasty. Simply toss the hard gingerbread cookies into a container and add a few slices of lemon and orange. Thanks to this method, moisture will penetrate the dough, and your gingerbread cookies will regain softness and aroma. Just remember to replace the additions regularly to prevent mould. Do this at least once a day, preferably every few hours.
You can also add apple peels or a slice of bread to the container; they will work too. The gingerbread cookies will soften, and the fruit's aroma will enhance their taste in an interesting way. This way, hard cookies will soon be a thing of the past.
