Gingerbread Christmas Cards Recipes

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring brown sugar and molasses just to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in butter until melted. Stir in eggs until blended. Combine the remaining dough ingredients; stir into brown sugar mixture. Divide dough into four portions. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3x5-in. rectangle-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until set, about 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. , For icing, in a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and water; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Add additional water as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Keep icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture., Frost cookies and let dry completely. Decorate cookies as desired using edible writing pens.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat shortening and sugar together in a large bowl. Stir in molasses.
• Sift baking soda, ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon and flour together in a large bowl. Stir this mixture plus water into the sugar and shortening mixture, alternately adding the water and baking soda mixture to the shortening mixture.
• Stir until mixed thoroughly and refrigerate 6-8 hours.
• Cut dough into three equal pieces, knead each piece lightly and then use a rolling pin to roll out each piece to a 1/4-inch thickness.
• Use holiday cookie cutters made in the shapes of gingerbread people and houses to cut shapes out of the dough.
• Use a medium- to large-sized drinking straw or the end of a wooden chopstick to make a hole at the top of each shape. *Tip: make sure to really make a sizable hole (bigger than you think you need), as these do puff up in the cooking process, making the hole shrink.
• Put cookies on cookie sheets and bake for about 20 minutes. Turn oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven. This will help harden the cookies.
• Place cookies on racks to completely harden. Place racks in a cool, dry place and let sit for two to three days.
• Coat cookies with clear acrylic or varnish and allow cookies to dry thoroughly.
• Paint cookies with acrylic paints as desired. Allow paint to dry thoroughly.
• Thread a 5- to 6-inch length of narrow ribbon or cording through the hole at the top of each ornament. You may have to use a toothpick to chip a little bit of cookie out of the hole if it has closed up a bit, before threading with ribbon. Knot ends and hang ornaments.

Steps:

• Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Beat in molasses and egg.
• Gradually add flour mixture to make a soft dough.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• On a lightly floured board, roll dough out to about 1/4" thickness. Do not roll too thin.
• Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
• Place on lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake for about 8 minutes, or until just firm when pressed. Do not overbake.
• Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.
• Remove and place on racks to finish cooling.
• Frost if desired. (Optional.).