GINGERBREAD COOKIES

In the spirit of holiday baking and my new love for all things ginger, I share with you a recipe from a book my friend S gave me a few years back, called Winnie-the-Pooh's Cookie Book.

Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 c softened butter (1 stick)
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 c unsulfured molasses
3 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda

Oven: 350 F

Beat butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Add egg and molasses, mix well. In another bowl, sift flour, salt, spices, and baking soda together. Stir into butter mixture. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.

On well-floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with cookies cutters. Bake on greased cookie sheets for 8 minutes. Cool completely, then decorate with royal icing or powdered-sugar icing. Makes 2 dozen.