Gingerbread Cookies

Aims: vocabulary development, dictionary lookup skills, exposure to American culture

Time: 60 minutes

Materials: photocopies of the recipe, dictionary, ingredients or photos of them, cooking tools or photographs of them

Introduction: Gingerbread cookies are a traditional German holiday treat. If possible, bring the ingredients in to class, so that the students can see, smell, and touch them.

Because most Koreans don’t have ovens, or bake, this will give the students some exposure to European forms of cooking. If possible, bring in some gingerbread cookies for the students. Bring in photographs of things like a mixer.

Text of the Recipe

6 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 cup molasses

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the spices and salt, then the eggs and molasses. Add the flour mixture; combine on low speed. Divide the dough in thirds; wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Use cookie cutter to cut into holiday-happy shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks. Makes about 16 large cookies.

Text of the Recipe with Notes

Introduce the concept of baking

Show the students a measuring cup and a teaspoon. Point out the etymology of “teaspoon” i.e. a spoon for tea.
Go through the list of ingredients, showing pictures or the actual ingredients to the students

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

Dictionary lookup: to sift
Demonstrate this to the students if possible.
Dictionary lookup: to set aside. “What do you think this means you should do now?”

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the spices and salt, then the eggs and molasses. Add the flour mixture; combine on low speed. Divide the dough in thirds; wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Show a picture of a mixer. Point out the verb “to mix” and the noun “mixture”.
Dictionary lookup: to cream
Dictionary lookup: fluffy
Dictionary lookup: to combine
Dictionary lookup: to divide
Divide the dough in thirds: “What does this mean we should do?”
Dictionary lookup: to wrap
Dictionary lookup: to chill

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Use cookie cutter to cut into holiday-happy shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks. Makes about 16 large cookies.

Dictionary lookup: to heat
350 degrees: point out that Americans use the Imperial measuring system
On a floured work surface: “What does this mean?”
Dictionary lookup: dough
roll dough 1/8 inch thick: “What does this mean?” Show a picture or demonstrate this to the students.
Show pictures or examples of cookie cutters. Ask the students what “holiday-happy shapes” might be. Show examples of traditional holiday shapes (bells, Christmas trees, etc.).
Dictionary lookup: to transfer
Dictionary lookup: ungreased. “What does the prefix ‘un-‘ mean in English?”
Show a baking sheet to the class
Dictionary lookup: to refrigerate. “What are other words for this?” (to chill, to cool)
Dictionary lookup: crisp. “What are other words for this?” (hard)
Show a wire rack to the class

Discussion Questions

Discuss traditional holiday foods, such as turkey at Thanksgiving. Elicit examples of traditional holiday foods in the students’ native culture.