Gingerbread Cookies

This recipe makes a ton of deliciously, spiced gingerbread cookies. It’s a soft dough, but firm enough that it can be used for gingerbread houses, too. This saves for a while in the refrigerator, so you can take out as much as you’d like to bake at a time and make more when the mood strikes or when you want to share with friends. Baked cookies also freeze well before decorating!

Cookies
5 c sifted flour
½ tsp baking soda
2¼ tsp ginger
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 c + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, at room temperature
1 c sugar
¾ c molasses
1 tablespoon orange rind

Icing
½ cup unsalted butter
1 dash of milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
2½  cups powdered sugar, sifted
food coloring

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. In another bowl cream the butter and the sugar until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Then beat in the molasses and the orange rind. Stir in the flour mixture into the creamed butter a third at a time. The dough should be quite stiff. Divide the dough into thirds, wrap and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Take out the dough and roll to ¼ in. thickness on a floured surface. Cut the cookies out with a cutter and place on a silicone baking sheet (or parchment paper) on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 min. Take out of oven. Let cool a minute, then transfer to cooling rack.

While cookies are baking, mix together the icing. If you like a runner icing, add more milk, if not, add more powdered sugar. Color drop by drop until desired brightness and saturation is achieved. Liberally apply sprinkles!