Gingerbread Cutouts

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 -2 tablespoon cold water
• 1 lb candy coating
• 3 tablespoons shortening

Recipe

• 1 in a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar.
• 2 beat in molasses and egg.
• 3 combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, cinnamon and cloves; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water.
• 4 mix well.
• 5 cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
• 6 on a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness.
• 7 cut with a cutter of your choice dipped in flour.
• 8 place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
• 9 bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until edges are firm.
• 10 don't overbake!
• 11 remove to wire racks to cool.
• 12 in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave confectionary coating and shortening for 2 minutes.
• 13 stir; microwave for an additional 2 minutes.
• 14 stir until completely melted and smooth. dip cooled cookies into chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden, or pour .
• 15 chocolate into pastry bag or ziploc bag.
• 16 if using ziploc bag, snip a small end from one corner.
• 17 drizzle chocolate over cookies set upon waxed paper; let chocolate harden completely before handling.
• 18 yield: about 2 dozen.