Gingerbread Cookies

Submitted by: billyandsara

Prep time: 30-40mins
Cook time: about 10 mins
Level: Easy just the prep is long and requires a lot of ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350F

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Sticks of lightly salted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups of sugar
• 1 orange zested
• 4 cups of all purpose flour, plus I put some to the side for when I am rolling if needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of ground dry ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 of ground all spice
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 of molasses (dark)
• 1 lemon juiced 

Directions:

• In a bowl mix your butter, sugar and orange zest with a hand mixer until it is smooth, about 5 mins.
• In a seperate bowl mix, flour (sifted), baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt, mix together and set aside.
• In a third bowl mix together you eggs, molasses and lemon juice.
• Once you have the butter mixture smooth lower your speed and start to add your dry ingrediants, once you have the dry ingrediants in start mixing in you bowl with the eggs. I fins that this works best with a stand mixer and I use my paddle attachment.
• Once you have your dough mixed take it out of the bowl and break into two pieces, press each piece between two pieces of wax paper and chill for 15-20 mins.
• After you chill your dough you must flour your surface and start rolling. I sometimes find it easier to roll it when it is still i nthe wax paper but that is up to you. Once you have the thickness you want then press your cookcutter into them and place them on your cookie sheet. *note make sure you leave a little room they can spread out.
• Bake until golden brown about 10 mins

*posted by: michelle142*