Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
• ¾ cup butter
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 4 ½ cups flour, plus more for rolling surface
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3 ½ tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• <a href="http://theshiksa.com/2012/12/09/royal-icing/">Royal icing</a> (optional)
• Sprinkles, cinnamon candies, or any other decorations of your choice (optional)

Instructions

1. 1
   In a medium saucepan, heat the molasses to the simmering point. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it melts. Stir in the brown sugar. Allow to cool.
2. 2
   In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. Add the cooled molasses and the egg to the flour mixture and mix very well until a dough forms. You may need to use your hands to really incorporate the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
3. 3
   Wrap dough in wax or parchment paper and chill for 1-2 hours, or until firm enough to roll.
4. 4
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer chilled dough to a lightly floured rolling surface and roll out the dough to one-quarter inch thickness. Roll out a quarter of the dough at a time.
5. 5
   Cut cookies with your choice of cookie cutter. I chose a traditional gingerbread man, but you can get creative with any kind of cookie cutter you’d like.
6. 6
   Transfer cut dough to a baking sheet that has been lightly greased with nonstick cooking spray or lined with a silicone baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will puff up, but won’t spread much.
7. 7
   Cool completely on a rack before decorating with royal icing, decorative sprinkles and candies.