Fresh Milled & Fermented Gingerbread Cookies
There’s something extra special about gingerbread made from freshly milled flour — it tastes deeper, warmer, and somehow more alive. This sourdough gingerbread cookie recipe is one of my favorite ways to showcase what fresh grains and natural fermentation can really do.
Fresh milled flour hasn’t been stripped of its bran, germ, and natural oils the way commercial flour has, which means it retains more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and enzymes. Once grain is milled, its nutrients begin to oxidize rapidly — which is why flour milled fresh at home is nutritionally superior and easier for many people to digest. Beyond the nutrition, though, the flavor is what wins me over every time: richer, slightly sweet, and perfectly suited for any and all recipes, including this super cozy and scrumptious gingerbread cookie.
P.S if you are curious about getting started with Fresh Milled Flour, check out this playlist on my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQfezYqINioeQMaQzH8-yqmZFcgUb0maT Ingredients:
300 g (a bit more than 2.5 cups) Fresh Milled Flour (soft white wheat, spelt, kamut, purple barley, rye, and combinations of all of these have been used in my kitchen with undeniably delicious results!)
1/4 cup sourdough starter
1/2 cup fat melted (butter, lard, coconut oil)
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or any brown sugar you prefer, could also do honey or syrup and omit the water)
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup (more or less) water to bring the dough together.
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Scant 1/4 tsp cloves
Optional: pinch of ground cardamom
Optional extracts: 1 tsp vanilla and/or 1/4 tsp orange
Method:
Combine all ingredients to form a thick, uniform dough. Only use as much water as is needed to hydrate the dough fully. But don't worry if you get it too wet. You’ll just need to use a bit more flour when you roll it out!
Cover and leave out at room temperature overnight to ferment.
In the morning, refrigerate for at least an hour, but up to 3 days.
When you are ready to bake; let the dough warm up at room temperature until its workable, about 20 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Roll out the dough fairly thin, about 1/4 inch thick, and cut out into shapes. My girls love to make an entire family of gingerbread people, but any shape you like will do. (Our Cookie Cutter Set)
Bake at 375 f: 5-7 minutes for mini men, 8-10 minutes for standard “grown up” gingerbread men and women.
If you have littles, I highly suggest the gingerbread baby books by Jan Brett, they are a favorite of ours! So much silly sweet fun with amazing illustrations.
You can ice these if you like, use a simple glaze and decorate to your hearts content. We really enjoy dipping half of them into melted chocolate on occasion but honestly, they are fabulous as is and we usually don’t bother to “dress them up” much more.
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