Recipe: Gingerbread cookies

(If this post comes out wonky at first, please bear with me -- I'm tesing out posting from my iPod. This should be interesting!

Anyone reading who lives in Maryland knows we got some snow yesterday! Unfortunately, every trace of said snow is gone, but that doesn't mean the spirit of the winter holidays has. Since the snowfall, Matt and I have been in the mood for something Christmasy. (I know, a bit laughable coming from a Pagan and a Jew, but we admit to being willingly sucked into this!)

So I'm making gingerbread cookies, and in the Christmas spirit, I'm shaing the recipe with you, in the hopes that your house smells as good -- and as festive! --as ours.

Ingredients

* 6 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tbsp baking powder
* 1 tbsp ground ginger
* 1 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1 tsp ground cloves
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 cup shortening
* 1 cup molasses
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp vanilla

Method

1. Stir together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth*. gradually stir in the dry ingredients until they are completely absorbed.

3. Divide dough into three pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 inches thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters, then place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. When done, they will look a bit dry, but they'll be soft to the touch. Allow to cool on wire racks.

6. When cool, decorate your heart out!

*Maybe this would be a good time to petition my awesome husband for a Kitchenaid mixer. I'll let you know how that goes. ;)