Christmas Eve with Emily Dickinson

For the past three years, I have been spending my Christmas Eves with the prolific poet. Separated by the seas of time, our only true tangible connection lies within a shared tradition — gingerbread. Dickinson was revered for her take on this holiday staple. One bite will instantly elucidate why.  

Below is her recipe with brief interpolated dietary addendums.

From “Emily Dickinson: Profile of the Poet as Cook”

1 quart flour (Lene: “I use a 1:1 gluten-free flour”)

½ cup butter

½ cup cream

1 tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

Make up with molasses (Lene: “roughly a cup”)

Direct instruction is as follows: "Cream the butter and mix with lightly whipped cream. Sift dry ingredients together and combine with other ingredients. The dough is stiff and needs to be pressed into whatever pan you choose. A round or small square pan is suitable. The recipe also fits perfectly into a cast iron muffin pan, if you happen to have one which makes oval cakes. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes."

This recipe has become a fan favorite at holiday parties and an instant classic. I owe it all to Emily Dickinson.