Day 5: Gingerbread People

Today's cookies are baked by Wendy Kearnes, Outreach Services Manager.  She's made gingerbread people from Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book, page 81. Stop by the Bookmobile at the Bridgetown Library today from 2-4 PM, and you might be able to try one of these delightful treats!

 Here's the recipe:

Cookies:
3 ¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup salted butter
1 large egg
½ cup unsulphurized  molasses

Icing:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons milk

Yield:
About 2 ½ dozen 6-inch cookies
About 3 ½ dozen 4-inch cookies

Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a medium bowl. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides  of the bowl. Add egg and molasses, and beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrape bowl and add the flour mixture. Blend on low speed just until combined; do not overmix. Separate dough into 2 balls and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap or a plastic bag, and refrigerate 1 hour until firm. On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough out to ¼ inch thickness. With floured cookie cutters, cut into gingerbread men. Gather scraps and reroll dough until all dough is used. Place on ungreased cookie sheets ½ inch apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes being careful not to brown. Transfer to a cool, flat surface with a spatula. Prepare the icing: Whisk sugar and milk together in a small bowl until mixture is smooth but liquid. If it seems dry, add ¼ teaspoon more milk. Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a small piping tip. Decorate gingerbread men as desired.

Wendy says she used Scribblers (pre-made icing), and this is a fun (and quick) option for decorating the ginger people with kids.