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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