Favorite Molasses Cut Outs Food

MOLASSES SPICE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar; beat in molasses and coffee. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt and spices; add to molasses mixture and mix well. Chill dough 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. If needed, add a little additional flour before rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with holiday cutters dipped in flour. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. , For icing if desired combine gelatin and water in a small saucepan. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Add sugar. Heat and stir over very low heat until the gelatin and sugar dissolve. Transfer to a bowl. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until foamy. Add baking powder and vanilla; beat until very thick, about 10 minutes. , Frost cookies by inverting them and quickly swirling the tops in the icing; decorate with colored sugar. For traditional gingerbread men, use decorator icing to add features as desired.

JOHN'S ROLL-OUT MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix together shortening, molasses and brown sugar. Stir in 1/4 cup cold water.
• Mix together the flour, salt and spices. Add to molasses mixture.
• Dissolve soda in 1.5 teaspoons cold water. Stir it into the above mixture.
• Gather up dough into a ball; on waxed paper, pat into a disk. Wrap up. Chill for at least an hour.
• Roll out between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch thick. I thought 1/2-inch was a bit too thick, but it's up to you. Cut into shapes, specifically gingerbread men or bears. Gather up scraps, pat into a ball, reroll and cut into shapes, etc., until you have used most of your dough.
• On lightly greased or sprayed cookie sheets, bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
• These swell a little during cooking, so be sure to leave some space between them on the cookie sheets. Also, they taste better the day after baking when the spices have had a chance to meld with each other.

MOLASSES CUT-OUT COOKIES FOR GINGERBREAD MEN

Steps:

• Mix sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy.
• Add molasses and beat until it is incorporated Add hot water and stir well.
• Sift dry ingredients into mixture a cup at a time and stir until mixed well Chill for at least 2 hours.
• Roll out a small amount, cut out a cookie round and test by cooking in a preheated 375F oven.
• If cookies are spreading out too much, add and knead in a bit more flour.
• Roll out dough a quarter at a time, keeping the rest chilled.
• This makes handling the dough easier.
• Roll out (using an equal mixture of confectioners sugar and flour) and cut into gingerbread men shapes.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven for about 12 minutes.

SOFT MOLASSES CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Frost or dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.