Recipe: Ginger Cutouts (for cookie ornaments, Woman's Day magazine, 1976)

GINGER CUTOUTS

"Good both as tree ornaments and for eating. Prepare dough day ahead."

1 cup sugar
I tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves (that seems like a lot to me, I would use 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dark com syrup
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 (4 1/4 ounce) tube prepared white cake-decorating icing or Ornamental Frosting (recipe follows, optional, for decorating)
Cinnamon candies, colored sprinkles or sugar (optional, for decorating)

In small saucepan bring to boil sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, water and corn syrup; remove from heat. Pour over butter in large bowl; stir until butter melts, then cool to lukewarm.

Stir in flour that has been mixed with the baking soda; mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Let dough soften slightly at room temperature.

Divide in fourths. On lightly floured surface roll out each piece 1/8-inch thick. With ginger-man or holiday-shape cutters cut out dough (reroll scraps). With 2 wide spatulas transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. (If for ornaments, use handle tip of wooden spoon to make hole about 1/4-inch in diameter in top of each cookie.)

Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. With wide spatula remove cookies to racks to cool.

Decorate cooled cookies with icing and candies as desired. Store in airtight containers in cool dry place.

VARIATION:

GINGER THINS:
Roll out each piece of dough 1/16-inch thick. Cut out in desired shapes and bake in preheated 375 degree F oven 6 to 7 minutes or until light brown. Cool on racks. Serve plain or decorate. Makes 120 to 144 cookies.

ORNAMENTAL FROSTING

1 pasteurized egg white
1 cup confectioners' sugar (or more, as needed)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

In small bowl of mixer beat 1 egg white, 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar until very thick but of consistency that can easily be pressed through pastry tube. If necessary, add more sugar.

Makes about twenty (8-inch) ginger men
From: Recipelink.com
Source: Recipe insert: Holiday Cookies and Candies, The Collector's Cookbook #239, Woman's Day magazine, December 1976