Gingerbread Santa Cookies

Make Santa festive gingerbread cookies in his likeness to munch on as he places presents under the tree on Christmas Eve. Santa might just leave you some extra presents when he sees how cute these Christmas cookies are!

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup black strap molasses

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and molasses. Sift together dry ingredients and beat into mixture until thoroughly combined. You may have to knead in final cup of flour if mixture is too thick. Cover dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Lightly spray a baking sheet with a non-stick cooking spray. Roll out dough on a heavily floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.

Cut out gingerbread men with large star cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until done. Remove cookies from oven and cool thoroughly.

Use royal icing in red, white, black, gold and cream to make the cookies look like Santa. Be sure to add his belt buckle and boots!

Serves:

Makes about 20 gingerbread man cookies