Vanilla Bean Glazed Gingerbread Cookies

Autumn began for us with a downpour -- 3 inches of rain and a chilly, barely 70-degrees and I realized summer was definitely behind us.  It also means the ingredients I've been baking with are now becoming pumpkin, apple, and ginger instead of strawberries, blueberries, and peaches!

Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 and to the United States with the first settlers.  In France, it is know as pain d'espices and in Germany as Lebkuchen, but the main ingredients seem to be very similar; honey or molasses and a range of spices.  Whether it's in the form of a cake or cookies, it definitely has become one of the best loved baked goods for the Fall and Winter here.

Vanilla Bean Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
3/4 cup (12 T) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup mild-flavor molasses
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice*

*You can substitute 2 tsp. ground ginger, 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. cloves and nutmeg for the Pumpkin Pie Spice. 

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar together.  Add the molasses and Pumpkin Pie Spice and mix thoroughly, scrapping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together.

Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with your hand.

The cookies will spread so be sure not to crowd them on the baking sheet--I did 8 at a time.
Bake in the preheated oven 15 minutes or until edges of the cookies are set.  Do not over bake!
Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
3-4 T very hot water

Mix all the ingredients and spread on the slightly cooled cookies.  These cookie are delicious with a cup of tea or coffee, sitting by a fire (and yes, I did have the gas logs burning:-D) and making lists for the holidays around the corner. Enjoy!