Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies - ★Cooking Recipes★

Moist and chewy, these gingerbread cookies are loved by one and all.Recipe courtesy Anna Olson, host of Sugar.
Directions for: Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

Ingredients

Gingerbread

cup vegetable shortening or butter, at room temperature (125 ml)

cup sugar (125 ml)

1 egg

cup fancy molasses (125 ml)

1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)

cup grated fresh ginger (60 ml)

3 cup all purpose flour (750 ml)

1 tsp cinnamon (5 ml)

tsp baking soda (3 ml)

tsp cloves (1 ml)

Royal Icing

3 Tbsp meringue powder (available at cake stores and Bulk Barn stores) (45 ml)

cup warm water (125 ml)

4 cup icing sugar, sifted (1125 ml)

1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)

tsp cream of tartar (2 ml)

food colouring, as needed

Directions

Gingerbread

1. Cream shortening (or butter) and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in molasses and grated ginger until evenly blended.

2. In a separate bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients and add to molasses mixture, stirring just until dough comes together. Shape dough into 2 discs and chill for at least 2 hours before rolling.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disc to just over 1/8-inch thick. Cut out desired shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (If using cookies as decoration, put a small hole where a string will go to tie it). Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until edges are firm to the touch. Cool completely before decorating.

Royal Icing

1. Stir together all ingredients to blend, then beat with electric beaters on high speed until mixture is stiff, about 7 minutes. Tint portions of icing with food colouring, as desired.

2. To store, keep icing tightly covered, with plastic wrap resting directly on surface of icing. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

See more: Dessert, Christmas, North American, Bake, Eggs/Dairy