gingerbread cookies

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These are fun & delightful.  Get the family together, and use your hands to knead and roll.  No rolling pin!
 
INGREDIENTS:
 
·         ¾1.5 sticks unsalted butter softened (Vermont creamery)
·         1 cup granulated sugar
·         1 large egg – (Brown)
·         ¼ cup molasses – (not syrup)
·         2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
·         2 tsp baking soda
·         ½ tsp salt – (I use pink Himalayan)
·         1 ½ tsps. cinnamon (I use organic)
·         ½ tsp ginger if you like a strong ginger flavor, increase to 1- ½ tsp.



 
HINTS FOR BETTER COOKIES:
 
To Soften the butter (and use real good butter – like Vermont Creamery) – take out of fridge and put in microwave for 30-35 seconds
 
After you mix your cookie dough – chill for 30 minutes
 
BIG HINT: - Don’t use rolling pin to make the gingerbread men.  Use your hands like you are playing with play dough.  I used my hands to flatten the dough.  Once I cut out a couple – I used my hands to knead again to cut out more, and repeat!
 
 
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  First, mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
3.  Next, add egg and molasses and mix well.
4.  In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger, stirring to combine.
5.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
 
See hint if you are making gingerbread men.   Once you cut the men out – place them on lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.   No more than 12 to large baking sheet.  Sprinkle sugar on top of all the men gently before baking.
 
Finally, bake for 8-10 minutes until the men form well.  You want to take them out of the oven before they get hard, remove from oven, and allow cookies to cool on baking for approximately ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.  If you don’t have a wire rack – I just scoot my liner of cookies off the pan onto counter to cook.  MUCH EASIER!
 
Let them cool for at least 45 minutes before decorating them.