Ginger Cookies

Recipes Ingredients:

3 1/2 c Flour
1/2 c Sweet butter
1 ts Baking soda
3/4 c Sugar
1 1/2 ts Ginger
1 Egg
1 1/2 ts Cinnamon
3/4 c Molasses
1 ts Cloves
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Cardamom
2 ts Grated orange rind

Recipe Instructions:

This gingery Cookie is crisp and has a hint of orange flavor. It is ideal for gingerbread people or holiday Cookie shapes. In a large bowl, sift together flour, Baking soda and spices. In a medium bowl, cream Butter and Sugar together, then add egg, molasses, salt and orange rind. Mix well. Stir into dry ingredients. Form dough into a ball shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight. Preheat Oven to 375ø. Roll out to 1/4-inch thick on floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Place shapes unto ungreased Cookie sheets and bake at 375ø for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned around edges. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Note: Dough will keep up to one week, refrigerated. Cookies can be stored up to 3 weeks in Cookie tins. Variation: Decorate cookies with raisins, colored sugar, silver dots, etc. before cooking. Or ice them after they have cooled. Yield: 3 1/2 dozen. Amanda Cushman, freelance recipe developer and food writer, New York, NY Randy Shearer