Gingerbread Cookies

These were so fun to make!!  The dough was really soft and easy to work with.  Surprisingly, the royal icing I used to decorate with did not go rock hard. 

Gingerbread Men

• 1 cup butter   
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup dark molasses
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. nutmeg
• 1 t. cloves
• 1 t. ginger
• 2 eggs well beaten
• 1 t. white vinegar   
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda    

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large saucepan, cream together the butter, sugar.
2. Add molasses and spices – mix well
3. Stirring constantly bring to a boil.
4. Remove from heat and allow let cool to a lukewarm.
5. Stir in eggs and vinegar.
6. Sift flour with baking soda into molasses mixture to form smooth dough.
7. Chill several hours or overnight.
8. When you are ready to bake roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness.  Cut with a gingerbread cookie cutter.
9. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper 
10. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly brown on the edges. Do not over bake.
11. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before placing them on a cooling rack.  Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting use Royal Icing.

You can cut the recipe in half if you on outline them.

This recipe will yield approximately 3 Cups of Royal Icing.

Ingredients o    3 Tablespoons of Meringue Powder o    1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract o    1/2 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice o    4 Cups of Confectioners' Sugar o    1/2 Cup of Warm Water	Equipment o    Mixer o    Pastry Bag or Plastic Bag

In the bowl of the mixer, whip together the sugar and meringue powder.

Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice.

Add the water. Beat for approximately 5 minutes or until stiff peaks begin to form.

Transfer to a pastry bag.