Recipe: Gingerbread Javelinas with Molasses Glaze (cookies)

GINGERBREAD JAVELINAS

"Javelinas are wild, hairy, Southwestern cousins of pigs," explains Susan Lowell in her classic Southwestern children's book, The Three Little Javelinas. This recipe from her new cookbook, Clouds for Dessert, transforms her comic characters into ginger cookies, easy and fun to make with kids.

1 cup molasses
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 egg, beaten
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional secret ingredient)
Molasses Glaze (recipe follows)

Over medium heat, stir the molasses and shortening together in a large, deep saucepan. When the shortening is melted, take the pan off the heat. Stir in the baking soda and egg.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and optional chile powder. (A touch of chile subtly enriches the spicy flavor of the cookies but does not make them "hot." If you prefer a mild flavor, reduce all the spices by 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon.) Add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture and stir until well blended.

Let the dough cool slightly. Then either roll out your cookies, or wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate it for as long as a week. Bring it to room temperature before rolling.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Diving dough into 3 or 4 batches, roll it out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch on a lightly floured surface. Cut out javelinas (pigs) or other shapes.

Bake cookies on lightly-greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets for 7-10 minutes, switching the position of the cookie sheets from top to bottom midway through the baking time. Cool on wire racks and eat plain or decorate cookies with any favorite frosting, or this easy glaze.

MOLASSES GLAZE

1 tablespoon molasses
1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Drops of water

Stir the molasses into the powdered sugar and add the salt and vanilla. Add a few drops of water if necessary to make a good spreading consistency.

DECORATING TIPS:
While the glaze or frosting is still moist, you can sprinkle the javelina cookies with "fur" and "sand" (use decorative sprinkles, coconut, or raw, colored, or cinnamon sugar).

If you wish to dress up your javelinas with tinted frosting, traditional Southwestern colors include: hot pink; pale sky blue; turquoise (blue with a few drops of green); adobe or terra cotta (chocolate or brown with a touch of red); Rocky Mountain purple (red and blue in a 3:2 ratio); chile pepper red (red tempered with drops of yellow or orange); cactus green (green with a drop of yellow); and corn gold (yellow pepped up with orange). Pure white adds contrast.

Using colored frosting in a decorating bag or small zipper-locked plastic bag, add details such as outlines, javelina smiles and eyebrows, polka dots, red bandannas, jeweled collars, cowboy boots, or pink tutus. Also, silver candy drag es create a fabulous effect on turquoise icing - reminiscent of Native American jewelry.

Makes 3 dozen (3-inch) cookies
Source: Clouds for Dessert by Susan Lowell