Gingerbread Cookies

This is the recipe I use for gingerbread cookies - it looks complicated, but it's really not.  Make sure you chill your dough well.  And I roll mine out on a piece of food grade vinyl that I used for cakes, which makes clean up SIMPLE.  I put a piece of wax paper on top and roll over that.  Easy peasy, and no messy clean up.

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

1. 6 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 tablespoon baking powder
3. 1 tablespoon ground ginger
4. 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5. 1 teaspoon ground cloves
6. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
7. 1 cup shortening, melted and cooled slightly
8. 1 cup molasses
9. 1 cup packed brown sugar
10. 1/2 cup water
11. 1 egg
12. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, until they are completely absorbed. Divide dough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 inch thickness, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
3. Preheat 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 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When the cookies are done, they will look dry, but still be soft to the touch. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks. When cool, the cookies can be frosted with the icing of your choice.