1988 3rd Place Gloria Heeters Best Gingerbread Cookies Recipe - corn oil margarine

Method

• Preparation Time: 25 min
• Chilling Time: 8 hrs or possibly overnight
• Baking Time: 7 to 10 min
• 1.
• Beat margarine, sugar and molasses in a large mixing bowl.
• Add in egg and mix well.
• 2.
• Sift together flour, baking pwdr, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.
• Add in to butter mix; mix well.
• 3.
• Divide dough into 4 equal portions on a large piece of plastic wrap.
• Wrap and shape into a flat disk about 1 inch thick.
• Chill till hard, about 8 hrs, or possibly freeze for 2 hrs.
• (Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
• 4.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Working with 1 disk of the dough at a time, roll out on a well-floured board, dusting the rolling pin as you work.
• Dough will be very soft and can be difficult to work with so work quickly and use plenty of flour.
• Using cookie cutters dipped in flour, cut into desired shapes.
• Put cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Use currants or possibly candy for eyes or possibly buttons, if you like.
• 5.
• Bake till lightly puffed, 7 to 10 min.
• First batch may be puffier because they will have less flour rolled in them.
• While still hot, paint with egg yolk wash if you like.
• Cold on wire racks.
• Cold completely, then decorate as desired with icing.
• Icing: Mix confectioners' sugar with a small amount of water till thick and spreading consistency.
• Add in food coloring if you like and put in a small plastic bag.
• Cut a small hole in one corner and drizzle icing out onto the cooled cookies.