Recipe: Lil' gingerbread cookies

All lil’ chefs of varying ages will love creating in this traditional holiday treat. To break down the recipe, I usually get a head start by baking cookies up to four days ahead and storing them in an airtight container. Then, you can simply frost them one day before serving. After frosting is set, pack cookies in airtight containers between layers of wax paper.

If you want to dress up this festive lil’ cookies, use red hot or skittles candies for buttons and currants for eyes!

Cookies

Cooking spray

Icing

1 tablespoon water

1. Combine flour and ginger along with the next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl; Stir well. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine and cream brown sugar, butter, and molasses on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg next and incorporate into the mixture well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; and blend on low speed until combined. Divide dough in half. Note that the dough will be sticky. Gently press dough into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap. Cover with additional plastic wrap; chill 1 1/2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Flour your work surface well and roll the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with a gingerbread man or woman cookie cutter to form. A 3” cookie cutter will make appx 36 cookies Place cookies 1 inch apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheet and let them cool completely before decorating.

4. To prepare the icing, combine sifted powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Spoon the mixture into a zip-top plastic bag. Snip a small hole off the corner of the bag. Pipe icing onto the cookies as desired.

Yield:3 dozen