GINGERBREAD SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the Cookies: Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cloves in a large bowl. Place butter and brown sugar in another large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg; beat in molasses, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as necessary. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined, about 2 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3 to 4 times. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Working with 1 dough disk at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut dough into desired shapes, and place 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven until cookies are set when touched in the centers, 7 to 8 minutes. Cool on pans about 5 minutes; remove to wire racks, and cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare the Icing: Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a medium bowl; add 3 tablespoons of the water, beating with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat on high speed until white and fluffy, adding additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary until desired consistency is reached. If desired, divide icing into 3 or 4 portions, and tint each with food coloring. Decorate cookies as desired with icing.
• If tinted icings are too thin, add additional powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency

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.