BEST SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES

BEST SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES image

Provided by Jo Anne Sugimoto

Categories Cookies

Number Of Ingredients 18

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3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c unsulphured molasses
1/4 c water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp grounded cardamom
3 1/4 c flour
ROYAL ICING:
1 c powdered sugar, sifted
1 large egg white
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp orange extract
paste or gel food coloring (opt.)

Steps:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in the molasses and water.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, stirring constantly.
3. Divide the dough in half and flatten to a round disk and wrap each disk in a plastic wrap and chill overnight. (You can freeze half or all of it if desired for later use.)
4. NEXT DAY:
5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface roll out one of the disk of dough, leaving the other chilled. Rolled to 1/4 inch thickness, adding more flour if needed. Cut the cookies into desired shapes and place about an inch apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. The cookies should be firm but not browned. Re-roll the scraps and continue to cut and bake until the dough is gone.
6. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
7. ROYAL ICING:
8. In a large bowl, beat the powdered sugar, egg white, cream of tartar and orange extract on medium high speed for 5 minutes. Check to see if you can form peaks with a teaspoon. If you cannot, beat at a higher speed for a minute more and check again. Beat and check at thirty second intervals until the peaks form. Tint icing with food coloring as desired.