Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Men*
Source of Recipe
Cynthia Nicholson, Real Simple, DECEMBER 2004
List of Ingredients
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Recipe
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium until smooth. Add the molasses and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, blending until smooth. The dough should gather into a semifirm mass. (If it's not firm, add another ¼ to ½ cup flour, but not enough to make it crumbly.)
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Divide in half. Flatten into disks and wrap in plastic.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
Preheat oven to 350° F. On a floured surface, roll each disk to 1/8 inch thick. Use gingerbread-man cutters to make shapes. Transfer them to a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Decorate, if desired. Bake until firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly before transferring to a rack
Yield: Makes 3 dozen medium gingerbread men
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