GINGERBREAD TEDDY BEARS

Gingerbread Teddy Bears image

These cookies have been a Christmas tradition in my family since I was a little girl. The big bears are so soft and chewy that we can hardly wait until they come out of the oven!-Elizabeth Manzanares, Gloucester, Virginia

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 50m

Yield 10 cookies.

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 cup butter, cubed
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup molasses
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Miniature chocolate chips
Decorating icing and sprinkles

Steps:

In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and molasses. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and cloves; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into ten 2-in. balls, ten 1-in. balls, forty 1/2-in. balls and twenty 3/8-in.balls. Place the 2-in. balls on 3 foil-lined baking sheets for the body of 8 bears; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Position 1-in. balls for heads; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach four 1/2-in. balls to each bear for arms and legs. Attach two 3/8-in. balls for ears. Add chocolate chips for eyes and buttons. , Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks to cool completely. With frosting, pipe ears, muzzle and paws; add sprinkles for fingers, toes and nose.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 481 calories, Fat 20g fat (12g saturated fat), Cholesterol 68mg cholesterol, Sodium 262mg sodium, Carbohydrate 70g carbohydrate (31g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 6g protein.