Gingerbread Teddies Recipe

Ingredients

• 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1-1/2 cups shortening
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• semisweet chocolate chips
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Directions

• In a large bowl, combine 2-1/4 cups flour, brown sugar, shortening, molasses, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Beat on high speed until combined. Beat in remaining flour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Shape dough into 12 balls, 1-3/4 in. each; 12 balls, 1-1/4 in. each; 72 balls, 1/2 in. each; and 60 balls, 3/8 in. each. Place the 1-3/4-in. balls on three foil-lined baking sheets for the body of 12 bears; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness.
• Attach six 1/2-in. balls to each bear for arms, legs and ears. Attach four 3/8-in. balls for paws. Attach one 3/8-in. ball for nose. Add chocolate chips for eyes and belly buttons.
• Make three cuts halfway through the dough on the end of each paw; make an indentation in each ear with a wooden spoon handle.
• Bake at 350° for 12-16 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely (cookies will be fragile while warm). Yield: 1 dozen.

Gingerbread Teddies published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2003, p105