Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light molasses
2 tsp. ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. butter or margarine, cut up
1 large egg, beaten
3-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
Ornamental Frosting:
16 oz. powdered sugar
3 T. meringue powder
assorted food coloring (optional)
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Directions: |
Directions:1. In a 3-qt. saucepan, heat sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper to boiling over medium heat, stirring occassionally. Remove sauce pan from heat; stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up in the pan). Stir in butter until melted. With fork, stir in egg, then flour.
2. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until thorougly mixed. Divide dough in half. Wrap one half of dough with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 325º. With floured rolling pin, roll remaining half of dough slightly thinner than 1/4 inch. With floured 3-4 inch assorted cookie cutters, cut dough into as many cookies as possible; reserve trimmings. Place cookies, 1/2 inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Reroll trimmings and cut out more cookies.
4. Bake cookies 12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove cookies to wire race to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. When cookies are cool, prepare Ornamental Frosting if you like; use to decorate cookies as desired. Set cookies aside to allow frosting to dry completely, about 1 hour. Store in tightly covered container (with waxed paper between layers, if decorated) up to 2 weeks.
Ornamental Frosting:
1. In bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat powdered sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup warm water until blended and mixture is so stiff that knife drawn through it leaves a clean-cut path, about 5 minutes.
2. If you like, tint frosting with food coloring as desired; keep covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. With small metal spatula, artist's paintbrushes, or decorating bags with small writing tips, decorate cookies with frosting. (You may need to thin frosting with a little warm water to obtain the right spreading or piping consistency.
Optional: Use a drinking straw to make hole in top of cookie for hanging before baking. You can also make cutouts in cookies, such as a heart and fill with crushed lifesavers before baking for a stained glass look. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: This dough is ready to use when mixed, no chilling required, and can be rerolled as many times as needed. Great for entertaining grandchildren! Wrap the finished cookies in cellophane and tie with ribbons to gifts, use as tree ornaments, or just eat and enjoy.
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This recipe for Ginger Cutouts, by 