GINGERBREAD GIRL CHRISTMAS STOCKING RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine sugar and 1 cup butter in bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg, molasses and orange zest; beat until well mixed. Add all remaining cookie ingredients; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Divide dough into thirds. Shape each third into a ball; flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 4- to 5-inch stocking-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set and edges just begin to turn lightly browned. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter and vanilla in another bowl; beat at low speed, adding enough half & half for desired spreading consistency. Divide frosting into 2 small bowls; tint 1 green and 1 red. Decorate cookies as desired.

Steps:

• In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, spices, baking soda, and salt until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, as well as  fresh ginger, orange zest, and black pepper (if using), until dough just comes together. (Do not overmix!) Divide dough in half and create two discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 to 3 hours. (Alternatively, divide dough in half and roll each piece of dough between two pieces of parchment to 1/4" thick. Chill until firm.) Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one disc of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll until 1/4" thick. (Alternatively, peel off both sheets of parchment from dough, then replace one sheet of parchment back underneath dough.) Cut out gingerbread men with a 3" wide cutter and transfer to baking sheets. Bake until slightly puffed and set, 9 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie cutters. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.   Repeat with remaining disc of dough. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.