Gingerbread Cookie Cups

Every year starting December 1st, I prepare daily Advent boxes for the kids. I bought a little box from the dollar store for each of them and glued a small piece of chalkboard paper to the top to countdown the days. I fill their boxes each day with a little treat, usually a piece of candy like a lollypop or a chocolate. My youngest reminds me everyday about the Advent boxes, and today as I was writing "4" on the top of each box, I was amazed at how close Christmas is and how quickly this time goes by.

Lately, I've been enamored with little edible liqueur or candy cups. I even found some peppermint candy cane cups this year. When I was making gingerbread cookies earlier this week, I thought I'd try turning some of the dough into cups for holding eggnog or Baileys. So instead of dipping your cookie in milk, you can pour some milk into your cookie!

Tip: You must make the bottom of the shot glass cookie thick so that the beverage doesn't seep out. Of course, the cookie will disintegrate the longer the drink sits in the cookie so it's best to serve the cookie from frozen and drink it soon after pouring.

Recipe

From Epicurious

Makes about 50

6 cups (about) flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1½ teaspoons ground cloves
¾ teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
1½ teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 large egg
¼ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon soda

Whisk 5¼ cups flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a bowl.

Using a stand mixer, blend the butter and shortening. Add sugar, molasses, and lemon peel and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and buttermilk.

Blend 2 teaspoons water with soda. Beat into butter mixture. In two additions, beat in the flour mixture. Add more flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough feels slightly firm.

Divide the dough into three equal disks. Wrap them and chill until firm enough to roll at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Soften slightly before rolling out.)

Roll out one disk of dough at a time, between sheets of waxed.
Either cut the dough using boy and girl gingerbread cookie cutters (or another shape) or press the dough into a heat-resistant shot glass or silicon shot glasses. Chill the dough again before baking. (Cutout cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, turning the pan halfway through the baking time.

If you made shot glasses, once the cookies have cooled, put them in the freezer. After they have frozen, remove them from the shot glasses. You may have to trim the bottom so that it sits level. Store them in the freezer until ready to fill with your beverage of choice.

Other ideas for filling the cups:
• Spiked White Chocolate Cappuccino
• Holiday Irish Coffee Eggnog from Lori at RecipeGirl.com

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