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Gingerbread

Top this gingerbread with whipped topping or a dessert sauce.
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 cup all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
* 1/2 cup dark molasses
* 1/2 cup buttermilk (or use 1/2 cup regular milk soured with a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice)
* 1/4 cup melted butter or shortening

Preparation:
Sift together the flour, salt, soda, and spices. In a mixing bowl, combine beaten egg, sugar, molasses, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add sifted dry ingredients gradually; stirring to blend. Beat until smooth. Turn batter into a greased and floured 8-inch or 9-inch square pan and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.

Gingerbread Men

3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup unsulphured molasses

Note: To prevent the molasses from sticking to the measuring cup, first spray the cup with a non stick vegetable
spray (like Pam).

Confectioners Frosting:

2 cups confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons milk or light cream
Assorted food colors (if desired)

Gingerbread Men: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar
until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated.

Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside while you roll out the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies. With an offset spatula lift the cut out cookies onto the baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1 inch apart. If you are hanging the cookies or using as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw or end of a wooden skewer.

Bake for about 8 - 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. Small ones will take about 8 minutes, larger cookies will take about 12 minutes. They are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown.

Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute. When they are firm enough to move, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

If desired, you can press raisins, currants, or candies into the dough for eyes and buttons while the cookies are still warm. Otherwise, confectioners frosting can be used to decorate the cookies. You can also use the icing as a glue to attach candies, raisins, and sprinkles.

Confectioners Frosting:
In an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk if too dry. Place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and decorate the gingerbread men as desired.

Tint portions of frosting with desired food color (I use the paste food coloring that is available at cake decorating stores and party stores).

Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on the size of cookie cutter used.

Store in an airtight container.

This is the Recipe that I use for my Gingerbread men & ladies. I don't think there is much if any difference between Megan's & mine, but, I have used this one for years.

Cookies
1cup packed brown sugar
1/3cup shortening I use the Crisco sticks
11/2 cup cold water
7cups flour
2tsp baking soda
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground allspice
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground cloves
1/2tsp salt
Frosting and Decorations
4cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4to 5 T half&half
Food colors, if desired
Raisins or chocolate chips, if desired
Assorted candies, if desired

beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water with mixer on med speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended
Stir in remaining ingreds
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hrs.
heat oven to 350
Grease cookie sheet lightly with shortening or spray with cooking spray
On floured surface, roll dough 1/4" thick
Cut with floured gingerbread cutter or other shaped cutter
On cookie sheet, place cutouts about 2" apart
Bake 10 to 12 mins until no indentation remains when touched
Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack
Cool completely, about 30 min
Take another bowl, mix powdered sugar, vanilla and half&half until frosting is smooth and spreadable
Add food colors as desired, I use green & red
Frost cookies; decorate with raisins, chocolate chips and candies.