Sharing Chewbacca Gingerbread Cookie to Support Unearth Hope

Hey Folks, 

Allie here. I know it has been a while since I last wrote to you. Wanted to update you on my life, I am a big sister. Gigi, who was supposed to be my niece has come to live at my house. I was a little upset at first but when my mommy told me that Gigi would have to go to the pound if she couldn’t find a home, I knew I had to share my home with her. The holidays are all about giving back and I am so excited that my mommy has teamed up with Unearth Hope to take part in The Great Quetzal Cookie Run, which is a virtual 5K. Not only is she going to walk the 5k, yea not going to happen with me I can barely walk the 1 mile with Gigi. But I will be helping her out in another way. I helped her come up with a cookie recipe to help celebrate this great fundraiser. And that cookie is….. wait for it …. a Chewbacca Gingerbread Cookie recipe. 

Why Chewbacca, you ask well for one he is my favorite. And two honestly, we do kind of look alike if Chewbacca was black and white. But before we get down to baking let’s chat about Unearth Hope for a few minutes. Unearth Hope is a nonprofit based in North Carolina that provides relief for families in Guatemala. If you want to know more listen to my mommy’s podcast interview with Sarah Bacik, the founder, on Chats from the Blog Cabin. Since Covid, has made it unsafe to travel, they decided to do this cookie run to raise funds for their medical teams. 

The Great Cookie Run will be a very family-friendly event that we can do in our neighborhoods or local parks together as a holiday alternative during COVID. This event will happen December 1-13 and Unearth Hope is teaming up with bloggers to give you some cookies to help make that cookie run sweeter. So now that stuff is over, let’s get on with sharing the Chewbacca Gingerbread Cookie that my mommy makes because it reminds her of me.  

Chewbacca Gingerbread Cookie 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1 Tbsp. ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg at room temp 
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• gingerbread man cookie cutter

DIRECTIONS:

To make the dough:

1. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well combined.
3. Add your molasses and vanilla. 
4. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended.
5. Gather dough with your hands and make it into a ball.
6. Divide dough in half. 
7. Wrap each half in plastic. 
8. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 4 days.
9. Let dough come to room temperature before using.

To roll and bake:

1. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Lightly sprinkle a cutting board with flour and roll your dough out to 1/4 inch thick
4. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. 
5. Remove excess dough from around the cookies and transfer to a cookie sheet
6. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-9 minutes. 
7. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet until they are completely cool.

Royal Icing ingredients and decorating directions:

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 4 C powdered sugar 
• Brown and black food coloring
• 2 disposable piping bags, fitted with a number 2 tip

Directions

• Using a standing mixer, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and powder sugar and mix on medium speed until stiff peaks form about 7 minutes
• Split the icing into 2 bowls,
• Add a few drops of Brown food coloring into one bowl and mix until combined. Add in a few more drops and mix until you get to the shade that you like
• Using only a few drops of black food coloring, mix until you get a light grey shade.
• Scoop icing into their own bags.
• Using the brown icing, pipe a belt from the top of his left shoulder down to the bottom of his right shoulder.

• Fill it in and let sit for a few minutes
• Using the grey icing, pipe squares on the belt

• Using the brown icing, pipe a line down the center
• Using the grey icing, pipe small dots in the space between the squares
• Let dry for an hour before enjoying.

So folks, what do you think of this new twist on a gingerbread cookie? Before you fill up on all the great cookies being shared from Dec 1-13 don’t forget to sign up for the race. 

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