What's For Dinner?

Spicy Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 egg yolk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cayenne; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

Don't be shy when it comes to flouring your work surface. Depending on outside weather conditions, this recipe can absorb a lot of extra flour before becoming pliable and cohesive enough to work with easily. When I double the recipe, I always add 1/4 c of flour when making the dough.

Submitted By: Betsy