Gingerbread Cookies
This recipe is adapted from an old Good Housekeeping cookbook. The warm holiday spices make these a Christmas favorite for cookie trays, gifts, and a fun decorating activity. I usually double this recipe so I have enough for our Christmas entertaining and to share with others. As written, it makes approximately 24 five inch Gingerbread cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp cloves can use up to 1 tsp
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- decorator icing, m&m's, chocolate chips, etc.
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Start with shortening and egg, then add the remaining ingredients until well blended.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Lightly flour a surface big enough for rolling and cutting the cookies. Flour your rolling pin, and roll a section of the chilled dough 1/8 inch - 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut cookies with your favorite cookie cutters. Continue until all dough is used up. If you use 5 inch gingerbread people cookie cutters, you will get approximately 24 cookies. We like to use a combination of large and small cookie cutters so there is lots of variety on the cookie tray.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until done. If you roll your dough a bit thicker you will need to add a minute or two. If you use small shape cutters and roll it a bit thinner, start checking around 7 minutes.
- Cool completely on racks before decorating.
- Decorate!