My Men...

If you have never made REAL gingerbread men to hang as decorations you MUST at least try one time! 

My cutter is an old 8 inch tall cutter and he usually hangs on a wall as a decoration. I may have used him for cookies once before, but I can’t remember. 

I put my new red workhorse in to action to mix it all and therefore, was stuck with the dough for the men. Hadda move on… 

They are nude at this time and a very tough bunch of guys. Sometime tomorrow I will put clothes and faces on this gang. 

I actually got bored with only being able to produce 3 men at a time and quit with a little dough left over so I made balls with the extra dough and pressed them down with a glass after rolling them in sugar and punched holes after baking, to decorate as ornaments. Well…maybe. I poked holes in  them only in case I felt motivated to decorate.

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Put on your best choppers! These are tough crunchy critters and they are absolutely delicious. I know because I couldn't resist a taste!

Recipe:

Gingerbread Cookies:

5 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup shortening, melted and cooled

1 cup molasses

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup water

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Combine flour and other dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg and vanilla. Add flour and dry ingredients. Mix well and divide into thirds on pieces of plastic wrap. Wrap thirds and place in refrigerator for at least three hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Take cookie dough out of the refrigerator one section at a time. Dust chilled dough with flour and roll out to *1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks then decorate however you choose! *Makes 3-4 dozen cookies or gingerbread men. 

*1/8 inch for big men.
*Or sixteen 8" men! and 8 round cookies! 

To hang on a tree or use as a gift tag, insert a toothpick at the top when cookies are just out of the oven to make a hole. Tie a ribbon or wire through the hole after decorating.