Categories: Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup molasses
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Royal Icing:
• 1 (16 oz.) pkg. powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. meringue powder
• 6 to 8 Tbsp. warm water
• White Sparkling sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy.
2. Stir together 1/4 cup water and soda until dissolved; stir in molasses.
3. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture beginning and ending with flour mixture. Shape mixture into a ball, cover and chill 1 hour.
4. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a 71/2-inch snowflake cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Cut out designs in snowflakes using 1/4 to 1/2-m inch cutters, and remove.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
6. Spoon icing into a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Snip a tiny hole in one corner of bag; pipe around edges of cookies. Sprinkle icing with sugar, if desired.

7. To make Royal Icing:

8. eat all ingredients at low speed with a mixer until blended Beat at high speed 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form. If needed, add water 1/4 tsp. at a time, until desired consistency.

9. makes about 3 cups

10. makes 8 cookies

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back