Traditional Gingerbread Cookies

In 2006, I picked up one of those little seasonal cookbooks they have at the checkout counter of grocery stories...this particular cookbook was by Taste of Home and entitled "Christmas Cookies & Candies" and piqued my interest because it had a "photo of every recipe!" and "75 full-color recipe cards".  I must confess, the recipes I've tried from this little cookbook have not disappointed. 

 

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is from this book and quickly became a family favorite and is definitely good enough to be added to Gingerbread Snowflakes' International Winter Holiday Cookie Swap.  (Did you see the Pizelles a blogger posted?  I love Pizelles!)

Traditional Gingerbread Cookies
(From Taste of Home Christmas Cookies & Candies)
Makes roughly 5 dozen cookies (depending upon size of cookie cutters)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vanilla frosting/icing of your choice
Red and Green paste food coloring

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.  Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and molasses and mix.

Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture and mix well.

Cover and refrigerate for four hours or overnight or until easy to handle.

On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut with 2 1/2 inch cookie cutters dipped in flour.

Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Baking at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm.

Remove to wire racks to cool.

Tint some of the frosting red and some of it green.  Decorate as you like.  (We suggest silly faces and lots of personality, but hey, that is just the way we do it!)