EASY GINGERBREAD MENPreheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 6-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1-1/2 cups molasses
- 1/2 cup water
1) Cream shortening and sugar. Sift flour with salt, soda and spices. Blend flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with molasses and water.
Chill at least 1 hour.
2) Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with large 6-8 inch gingerbread men cookie cutters. Lift onto lightly greased cookie sheet with broad spatula.
3) Bake above oven center for about 12 minutes or until cookies spring back lightly in center.
Do not overcook, they won't stay soft. Remove from sheets.
Cool on wire racks.
Makes 20 men 6-8 inches tall.
You're so mean, making me think of filling up the kitchen after I've barely finished cleaning it up after Thanksgiving :)
Silly question here - will that gingerbread recipe "hold-up" if I make squares out of it for houses?
Thank you.
..because my grandmother's (we lived with her) elderly, spinster aunts ...all three, plus their elderly bachelor brother ....lived across the street, and this was their time to come over....
..all dressed to the 9's in their best velvet and taffeta longish dresses and enjoy watching me, the only child, open gifts.
Grandmother always made her traditional fruitcake, and German fruitcake.
For these she needed liquor....(which, as a strict Southern Baptist we didn't imbibe :)
..so my elderly great uncle, who was very familiar with the local liquor store...
..would do Grandmother's bidding for Christmas and bring back the right 'spirits' to soak her Christmas cakes!
I wasn't encouraged to be loud or boisterous (with my great aunts around) ...but it was lovely all the same, though low key.
Grandmother put out her best tableclothes and dishes and the tree had been freshly trimmed...(always a live tree, of course)
....I can't even remember what we did on Christmas morn, but I never, ever had to wait to open gifts on Christmas Day :) (that joy completed the night before.)..until I was nine and we moved.
Thanks carlo for the wonderful recipes!