O’Bryonville’s BonBonerie bakery is a Cincinnati institution. The female-owned sweeterie — renowned for its cult-favorite Opera Cream cake — has been in operation since 1983, handcrafting everything from tea cookies and fine pastries to elaborate wedding cakes and decorative Buche de Noel with fresh and indulgent ingredients. (They also offer a tearoom and cafe with plenty of savory options.)
Over the holidays, the BonBonerie focuses on festive creations — like the aforementioned yule log cake — along with Christmas cookies, including these gingerbread men.
Tracy Daugherty, general manager of the BonBonerie, says this is the recipe they use to make their gingerbread houses and gingerbread men. “It is important to note that this is a very versatile recipe — meaning it can be baked for a shorter period of time for a soft cookie, a little longer for a traditional crispy gingerbread cookie and even a bit longer to make a gingerbread house,” she says.
Note: This yields 54 cookies.
Ingredients:
- 7 ¼ cups of all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa
- 3 Tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 Tablespoon ground cloves
- 1 Tablespoon & 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound butter
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup molasses
- ¼ cup corn syrup
Instructions: In a small bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer. Add eggs, mix well. Add molasses and corn syrup mix until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add dry ingredients. Mix until everything is incorporated. Cover and chill dough 3 to 4 hours. Roll until desired thickness. We prefer ¼-inch or slightly less. Bake at 325 degrees for 6-8 minutes.
This article appears in The Holiday Issue.