Recipe: Grape Jack O'Lantern Cookies

Grape Jack O'Lantern Cookies
rec.food.baking/Daisy the Gardener (1996)
Source: my local North Shore News newspaper - North Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, 1996
Makes 18 to 20 large cookies

We all knew that peeled grapes make great "eyeballs" in spook houses, but here's another seasonal use:

3/4 cup dark molasses
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp. butter, melted
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. each salt, ground allspice and cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
Orange icing (recipe follows)
2 cups seedless grapes, halved

Combine molasses, sugar, water and melted butter and mix well.

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Stir dry ingredients into molasses mixture. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or longer.

Roll dough out to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick on floured surface. Cut dough into pumpkin shapes, 4 1/2 to 5 inches in diameter and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350F 10 to 12 minutes or until firm to a light touch with a finger. Cool.

Ice with Orange Icing and decorate with grapes to make faces.

ORANGE ICING
Beat 6 cups icing sugar and about 1/3 cup orange juice until smooth and of spreading consistency. Tint with 9 drops yellow food color and 10 drops red food color or to desired orange color.