The Most Wonderful Gingerbread Cookies

Total Time: 2 hrs 23 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
• 2 in a large bowl (kitchenaid's great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
• 3 add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
• 4 gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• 5 divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• 6 preheat oven to 375 deg. prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• 7 (dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. return to room temp before using.) preheat oven to 375°.
• 8 grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• 9 place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• 10 sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
• 11 roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
• 12 use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• 13 cut out cookies with desired cutter-- the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.
• 14 space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
• 15 bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies-- very good!).
• 16 remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
• 17 after cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.
• 18 i usually brush them with a powdered sugar glaze when i am in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with royal icing.