Gingerbread Men

Gingerbread Men

These are the traditional cut-out gingerbread men cookies. You can decorate them or leave them plain. Either way it wouldn’t be Christmas without gingerbread men!

INGREDIEIENTS

2/3 Cup Molasses

1/3 Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Softened Butter

1 Egg

2 ¾ Cups Unbleached Flour

1 Teaspoon Ground Sugar

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Teaspoon Salt

Frosting

4 Cups Powdered Sugar

½ Cup Softened Butter

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

3 Tablespoons Milk

In a medium size bowl combine the molasses, brown sugar, butter and egg. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Reduce the speed to low and add all of the remaining ingredients. Beat until combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove from the fridge and divide the dough in half. Keep the other half in the fridge. Roll out the dough, on a floured surface, to ¼ inch thickness. Cut with a 4 inch gingerbread man cookie cutter. Place the cookies 1 inch apart onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 375° F. Place in the oven and bake for 6 minutes until no indentation remains when touched. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Makes 48 cookies.

To make the frosting: Combine the powdered sugar, butter and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat at a low speed. Add enough milk for the desired spreading consistency. You can add food coloring to tint the frosting if you like. Decorate cooled cookies with the frosting.