Gingerbread House Cookies
Taste of Home
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"This is my favorite molasses cookie," writes Karen Haen of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. "I use the recipe at Christmas, Easter and Fourth of July, cutting shapes like houses, bunnies and stars."
SERVINGS: 48
CATEGORY: Dessert
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 40 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min. + cooling
Ingredients:
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup molasses
- 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup water
- Frosting and food coloring of your choice
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses and orange peel. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices; add to creamed mixture alternately with water. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a 3-1/2-in. gingerbread house cookies cutter dipped in flour.
Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Decorate cooled cookies as desired with tinted frosting. Yield: 4 dozen.