Gingerbread Cookies

found this recipe here...love her blog! www.chickensintheroad.com

Fragrant with spices, gingerbread cookies make a house smell like the holidays! And gingerbread men are soooo cute.


How to make Gingerbread Cookies:

5 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup shortening, melted and cooled
1 cup molasses
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour and other dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg and vanilla. Add flour and dry ingredients. Mix well and divide into thirds on pieces of plastic wrap. Wrap thirds and place in refrigerator for at least three hours.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Take cookie dough out of the refrigerator one section at a time. Dust chilled dough with flour and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks then decorate however you choose! Makes 3-4 dozen cookies or gingerbread men.

To hang on a tree or use as a gift tag, insert a toothpick at the top when cookies are just out of the oven to make a hole. Tie a ribbon or wire through the hole after decorating.