Gingerbread Boys Recipe

Gingerbread Boys

Recipe provided courtesy of Taste of Home magazine.  Find more great recipes at www.tasteofhome.com.

These lightly spiced festive fellows are great to munch on.  And if I punch a hole in the cutout shapes before baking, I can use the sturdy cookies as tree ornaments, too.

Dore’ Merrick Grabski                                                                   Utica, New York

Gingerbread Boys Recipe

Gingerbread Boys

2/3 cup shortening

½ cup sugar

½ cup molasses

1 egg

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Confectioners’ sugar icing, red-hot candies and

Miniature chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar.  Add molasses and egg; mix well.  Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Divide dough in half. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut with a 4 inch cookie cutter dipped in flour.  Place 2 inch apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 F. for 9 – 11 minutes or until edges are firm.  Remove to wire rack to cool.  Decorate as desired.

TIP:  Put 2 miniature chips for the eyes;  and 3 red-hot candies  in the center.

(Recipe for Gingerbread Boys was in Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies and bars, January 19, 2009 issue)

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