This recipe from the Joy of Cooking is the perfect winter snack. While this is great for a batch of animal cookies, especially if you add eyes, the recipe can be doubled for a gingerbread house.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 2½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- Decorations!
Recipe
- In a saucepan, melt the butter
- Add the molasses and sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2¼ cup flour and all of the baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg
- Make a well in the center and pour in the butter mixture, beating until smooth
- Add ¼ cup flour so the dough forms a ball.
- Remove from bowl and knead 3-4 times until smooth and pliable
- Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to several days if preparing in advance
- Roll out dough to ~¼ inch thick
- Cut out shapes
- Bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes
- Optional – Attach eye and other decorations with a small amount of paste made from powdered sugar and water
