Gingerbread Cookies

Directions

• Cookie Dough
• Whisk flour, baking soda and spices together. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar until well combined. Add the whisked egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, mix in dry ingredients until well combined.
• Divide dough into three portions and wrap with plastic wrap. Place disks in zip top bag and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, 4-6 hours but preferably overnight.
• Transfer chilled dough to the freezer and freeze for an hour or two until firm.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle.
• Tear off a few sheets of wax paper, about 12 inches long and flour paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time (keep other pieces in the freezer) sprinkle flour over the dough and roll out to 1/4-inch. Cut out shapes (I used a 6-inch cut out) about 2-3 at a time or more if using small cookie cutters. Carefully remove scraps around cut outs. Flip one portion of the wax paper with cut out over and onto your hand. Because the dough is on the soft side, it may be a bit tricky the first time you roll and cut the dough, but you will get the hang of it. You may need to gently lift the wax paper around the edges of the dough to release it. Once you have the cut out in your hand, flip gently onto your baking sheet. If you use smaller cookie cutters, it will be easier to maneuver the dough. Continue with the other cut out pieces. Leave a little space between each cut out as the dough may spread just a bit (work with well chilled dough). Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. The longer baking time will turn out cookies that are crunchy throughout. The baking time is based on cookies that are about 5-6 inches. Check cookies after they have baked for 10 minutes. Return dough scraps back to the freezer and start with a chilled piece of dough. Use a new sheet of wax paper for each batch of dough.
• Let baked cookies rest on pan for 4-5 few minutes, then transfer to a cookie rack to cool completely.
• Icing & Decorating
• Place powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water in a medium deep bowl. Using a hand held mixer, mix on low speed for 1 minute until mixture is well combined. If the icing is too thick, add a few drops of water. If too thin, add extra powdered sugar. The icing should not be too thin or it will not set up well. It should be thick enough not to run when you decorate a cookie. Transfer icing to a small squeeze bottle.
• Use a rimmed half sheet pan to decorate your cookies. Place assorted colored sprinkles in one corner of the pan along with a mini bowl of currants (I like to select the smaller more uniform currants before decorating). Once you have iced the cookie, work quickly to add sprinkles before the icing sets.
• Once the cookies have been decorated and the icing has fully set, transfer to individual cellophane bags (heat sealable for freshness) or place cookies in a freezer bag or plastic container. Protect the cookies by separating layers with wax paper. For optimal freshness, I keep my cookies in the freezer until I give them away.