Recipe: Gingerbread Ornaments and Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Ornaments
Source: Simply Christmas

1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder

Cream butter with sugars, molasses and egg yolk.

Mix all remaing ingredients, except egg white. Stir into butter mixture to form stiff dough Chill for 1 hour.

Roll out on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Use Christmas cookie cutters or knife to cut out shapes.

Preheat oven to 350 F and butter cookie sheet. Brush shapes lightly with egg white.

Bake 8 minutes until crisp. Make a hole 1 inch from the top, then cool. Icingas you choose. Thread holes with gold cord.

Gingerbread Cookies
From: Mostly Harmless
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993

Here's my Grandma's recipe for gingerbread men (or should that be gingerbread people).

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 Tbsp. vinegar
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 to 3 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves

Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture. Chill 3 hours.

Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut in shapes.Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.

Bake at 375F for 5 to 6 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet and then remove to rack.

Makes about 5 dozen