GINGERBREAD BOYS
Or girls, elves, houses, etc. These cookies are enormously festive and a must have for the holiday season.
Makes 1 ½ Dozen 8” Cookies:
1 ½ cups butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
6 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
2 ½ tsp. ground ginger
2 ½ tsp. ground allspice
2 ½ tsp. ground cloves
2 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Frosting:
7 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ¼ tsp. cream of tartar powdered
6 egg whites |
Directions
1. In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, cream butter and brown sugar for 5 minutes.
2. Add molasses and eggs. Mix well.
3. Add salt, baking powder and spices. Mix well.
4. Beat in flour.
5. Form dough into 2 balls and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease very lightly.
8. On a floured surface, roll out dough to ¼” thickness and cut out into festive shapes. Transfer to cookie sheets with a spatula. Keep unused dough in the refrigerator.
9. Bake 2 sheets at a time for 12-14 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Switch racks ½ way through to insure even baking.
10. Gather dough scraps together and continue rolling and cutting your cookies.
11. When your cookies are done, make the frosting by putting all ingredients into a large bowl and mixing at low speed of the mixer until blended. Turn mixer up to high and mix until the frosting is stiff enough that when you draw a knife through it, a path remains.
12. This is where the fun begins. Pour your decorative sugars and decorations onto dinner plates. I have anywhere between 8-12 plates going at once.
13. Fill a pastry bag or plastic zip-lock bag (with a small bit of the corner snipped off.) Ice all areas of the cookie that are going to be the same color. For instance if you’re decorating a tree, ice everything but the stump and press into the green sugar. Next ice the stump and press into chocolate jimmies. Now you will want to ice a garland and press into sugar color of your choice. Finally do this with ornaments of various colors. |
