Holiday Ginger Cutouts Recipe

Holiday Ginger Cutouts Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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Looking to get a little creative with your cookie decorating? Paint your own masterpieces on a ginger cookie canvas.—Joanne MacVey, Blue Grass, Iowa

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Holiday Ginger Cutouts Recipe

Prep: 40 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling

Yield: 36 Servings

40 10 50

Ingredients

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white vinegar
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Icing:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 cup warm water
Assorted colors of liquid food coloring
Round pastry tip #2, #3 or #4

Directions

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, molasses and vinegar; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness and cut into desired shapes. Place 1 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.
For icing, stiff confectioners' sugar and meringue powder into a large bowl. Add water; beat on low speed until blended. Beat on high for 5-6 minutes or until soft peaks form. Place a damp paper towel over bowl and cover tightly until ready to use.
Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert round tip. Fill bag with 1 cup icing. Outline each cookie with icing. Tint remaining icing with food coloring if desired. Add water, a few drops at a time, until mixture is thin enough to flow smoothly. Prepare additional pastry or plastic bags with thinned icing. Fill in cookies, letting icing flow up to the outline.
Let cookies dry at room temperature overnight. With food coloring and small new paintbrush, paint designs on dry icing. Store cookies in airtight containers. Yield: about 6 dozen.

Editor's Note: Meringue powder is available from Wilton Industries. Call 800-794-5866 or visit wilton.com.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (2 each) equals 208 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 96 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein.

Originally published as Holiday Ginger Cutouts in Country Woman November/December 2000, p43