Gingerbread Teddy Bears
These cookies have been a Christmas tradition in my family since I was a little girl. The big bears are so soft and chewy that we can hardly wait until they come out of the oven!—Elizabeth Manzanares, Gloucester, Virginia8 ServingsPrep: 40 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, cubed
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup molasses
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- Miniature chocolate chips
- Red decorating frosting
Directions
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and molasses.
- Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large
- bowl; let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in egg and vanilla. Combine the
- flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and cloves; gradually add to
- butter mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or
- overnight.
- Shape dough into eight balls, 2 in. each; eight balls, 1 in. each; 32
- balls, 1/2 in. each; and 16 balls, 3/8 in. each. Place the 2-in.
- balls on three foil-lined baking sheets for the body of eight bears;
- flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Position 1-in. balls for heads;
- flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach four 1/2-in. balls to each bear