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Ingredients
- ½ cup (160g) molasses
- ½ cup (85g) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- dash of black or cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 egg
- about 3.25 cups (about 400g) all purpose flour
- Royal Icing for Cookies (below or use this one)
- Into large bowl, measure molasses, brown sugar, butter, baking soda, salt, all the dry spices, eggs, With mixer on low, beat ingredients until just mixed.
- Add 1½ cups of flour and blend into mixture. Blend in remaining flour to make a dough. Roll out dough using waxed paper or plastic wrap, 3/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate or freeze before cutting out shapes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters. Place cookies on baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart.
- Bake cookies 14-15 minutes or until edges are firm; baking time depends on cookie size. Immediately loosen cookies from sheet and remove to wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings.
- If not decorating cookies right away, wrap in airtight bags and freeze.
- ROYAL ICING FOR COOKIES: Mix 2 cups confectioners sugar, 1/8 tsp cream of tartar, and 2 egg whites (or powdered egg white equivalent) until just mixed. Increase speed to high and beat mixture until stiff enough for a knife to draw a clean-cut path through the frosting. Spoon into piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe decorative outlines and designs on cookies.
