Gingerbread Cookies
 
MAKES 12
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Meringue Icing (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla, beating until combined.
  2. In another large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 10-inch disk, and wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Using 6-inch gingerbread cutters, cut dough, rerolling scraps as necessary. Place 1 inch apart on prepared pans.
  5. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Place Meringue Icing in a pastry bag, and decorate cookies as desired.
Recipe by Southern Lady Magazine at https://southernladymagazine.com/gingerbread-cookies-recipe/