Recipe Box

Gingerbread Cookies

Tools:

Ingredients:

5-5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups unsulphured molasses
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375° F. Thoroughly mix flour, soda, salt and spices. Melt shortening in large saucepan. Cool slightly. Add sugar, molasses and eggs; mix well. Add four cups dry ingredients and mix well.

Turn mixture onto lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add a little more flour, if necessary, to make a firm dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4" thickness for cut-out cookies.

If you're not going to use your gingerbread right away, wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate. Refrigerated dough will keep for one week, but be sure to remove it 3 hours prior to rolling so it softens and is workable.

Dip cutters in flour and cut. Remove excess dough. Make features with pastry tips and small cutters.

For ribbon tie, cut two holes with a drinking straw side by side at neck. Bake 6-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Re-pierce hole if needed. Let cool on sheet for 2-3 minutes. Remove carefully with large spatula. Cool on wire rack. When cool, thread ribbon through neck and tie. Gingerbread easily absorbs humidity; store in a cool dry place.

Makes approximately 40 cookies