Honey Ginger Lemon Shortbread Cookies

26 cookies shaped or about 40 rolled

1 lb 3 oz sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder (omit if using cookie stamps)
2 tsp ginger powder
12 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c packed brown sugar
zest from 1 lemon
1/4 c honey
1 tbsp Soul Bee Honey Flakes (plus more for sprinkling or rimming)
30 g candied ginger, finely diced

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder (if you're just doing a regular shortbread but omit if you want to use a cookie press), and ginger powder. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the honey, lemon zest, honey flakes and candied ginger and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl.

Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Now you have two choices: rolled or shaped.

Rolled

Move the dough to a large sheet of wax or parchment paper and shape into a log about 2" diameter. Roll it up tight and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

Prep 5 cookie sheets with either Silpat mats or parchment paper (you'll put 8 cookies per sheet).  When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Take the dough out of the freezer and cut slices that are about 1/4" thick. Place on the sliced cookies on cookie sheets (you can either just sprinkle more honey flakes on top or roll the edges in honey flakes to rim them).

Bake the cookies for 10 min. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Shaped

Prep 4 cookie sheets with either Silpat mats or parchment paper. You'll put 6 each on 3 of them and 8 on the last.

Measure out balls of dough 40 g each. Roll them in a ball in your hands (I use latex powder free gloves to keep from sticking), space them out evenly on the cookie sheet and press down lightly. 

Spray your cookie stamp with cooking spray and firmly press down over the cookie. Lift up the stamp, if it doesn't come away cleanly, you may need to gently pry it off. Reapply the cooking spray before every cookie.

Place all the cookies in the fridge to firm up for about 30 min.  Preheat your oven to 350F in the interim.  When the cookies are firm, you can either sprinkle them with more honey flakes or rim the edges by rolling them in the honey flakes.

Bake the cookies for 10 min. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.