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Ingredients 3 ¾ cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons ground ginger 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground cloves 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 egg ½ cup molasses sugar icing (recipe follows) |
Directions
Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, cloves onto wax paper.
Beat butter, sugar, egg and molasses in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy-light. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or foil; refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Roll out dough, 1/3 at a time, on a lightly floured surface to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut out with floured large Christmas tree cutter. Brush off excess flour; place cookies on lightly greased cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Gather up scraps for second rolling.
Bake in a moderate over (350 degrees) for 8 minutes, or until edges are browned. Let cookies cool a few minutes on cookie sheets. Remove to wire racks with a spatula; cool completely. Dip small clean brush into sugar icing and “paint” cookies. Spring with colored sugars.
SUGAR ICING: Combine 1 package (1 pound) 10x sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/3 cup water in a medium-sized bowl; stir until smooth. Add more water, a teaspoon at a time, until icing is spoonable and flows easily from a spoon. Makes about 2 cups.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes
Makes 3 dozen cookies