Best Gingerbread dough ever for cookies or houses.

Recipe Title: The Best Gingerbread Cookies Ever! Perfect for gingerbread men, ladies and houses. 

By: Miriam Borys Busby

yield: approx. 45 small gingerbread cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (soft not melted)
¾ cup white granulated sugar
¾ cup molasses (use baking not blackstrap)

1 egg 
4-5 tbsp. heavy cream

3 1/2 cups flour
2  tbsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. each of ground cloves & allspice
1 ½ tsp. baking soda

Prep: 

In a large bowl sift the dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (hand mixer or stand mixer will make this task easier) add the egg and beat again.

Add molasses to butter mixture.

Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture a little at a time.

Mix in heavy cream starting with 2 tbsp. and adding more cream if the dough is dry and won’t stick together.

Divide dough into 4 portions. Take one portion at a time and with your hands roll into a large ball to bind the dough together. Roll out the dough until  desired thickness or approximately ¼ of an inch. 

Keep your surfaced well-floured to prevent sticking

Try to keep excess flour off the top of the dough so your cookies are a brown ginger color and not white.

Cut out gingerbread people or shapes as desired.

Bake in 350°F for 10 - 14 minutes.

Cool before decorating

Keep dry, do not refrigerate and DO NOT STORE in an air tight container or cookies will go soft

Royal Icing
4 cups sifted icing sugar
3 tbsp. meringue powder  
10 tbsp. water
1 tsp. lemon juice