Christmas Ginger Cookies

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Christmas Ginger Cookies
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 1 servings

6 c Flour
1 tb Baking soda
1 tb Ginger
1 ts Cloves
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Nutmeg
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Solid shortening; crisco
1 c Molasses
1 c Brown sugar; packed
1/2 c Water
1 lg Egg
1 ts Vanilla
Royal icing:
3 c Confectioners sugar
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
2 lg Egg whites
Food colors

Cookies: Mix flour, soda, spices and salt. Beat shortening, molasses,
sugar, water, egg and vanilla until well blended. Gradually beat in flour
mixture. Will be soft. Divide into fourths. Pat each 1/4 into 1" thick
round. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 1 week.
Roll on lightly floured surface to 1/8" thick, cut with gingermen cutters
and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet,
then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate with Royal Icing:
In large bowl, mix all ingredients until stiff. Color and use to decorate
cookies.
GREAT RECIPE! Makes a lot of cookies. Dough is easy to handle and can
be made ahead. DEBBIE CARLSON (PHHW01A)
These are more of a holiday cookie but you could cut them into any
variety of shapes to fit the seasons and frost them. It makes a big batch
of cookies that are easy to handle. The dough can be made ahead of time and
baked at your convenience.

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