Some of my favorite recipes, because saffronlie asked.

Gingerbread Cookies

My mom has been making this recipe for as long as I can remember. The spices are really well proportioned and the dough is, in my opinion at least, the best part of the recipe. I have fond memories of sneaking into tupperwares of this dough in the refrigerator and stealing bites while it was chilling. The dough will be pretty light colored when you first mix it but it should get darker after it's had a chance to chill.


1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice

Cream shortening and sugar. Blend in molasses, water, flour, salt, soda, and spices. Cover; chill 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375º. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured cloth covered board. Cut with cookie cutters, place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet and cool on racks. Trim with decorators' icing.


Decorators' icing

You can always decorate your gingerbread men with whatever you want, but I've always thought a powdered sugar icing was the best. Very traditional.


Mix 2 cups powedered sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until icing is of the consistency that can be used easily in a decorator's tube and still hold it's shape. Note: a small ziplock bag can be used in lieu of a decorators tube, just cut a very small corner of the bag off and use in same manner as decorator's tube.


Gingerbread (cake)

This is my favorite recipe of the bunch. I've made it twice this year so far. Once at Thanksgiving and once the night I made gingerbread cookie dough because my dad insisted that we couldn't make gingerbread cookies without having some actual gingerbread to go with it. This is a really nice recipe because the top will get crispy while the rest is wonderfully fluffy. It's perfect topped with whipped cream but I bet vanilla ice cream would be great too.


2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup molasses (dark)
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 325º. Grease and flour square 9x9x2 cake pan. Measure all ingredients into large mixing bowl, blend 1/2 minute on low speed scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on medium speed until smooth. Pour into pan. Bake 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm, top with whipped cream if desired. (Serves 9)