Steven's scrumptious gingerbread cookies come in all shapes and sizes

Gingerbread boys (and girls!) are part of the holiday fun

DETROIT – Meijer Healthy Living Advisor Tina Miller shares her recipe for Steven's scrumptious gingerbread cookies.

Shortcut: Buy refrigerated gingerbread cookie dough just roll, cut, bake and decorate!

Makes 3 dozen.

Gingerbread Ingredients:

3 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or Whole White Wheat Flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon McCormick ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon McCormick ground cloves
1/2 cup Meijer unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup Meijer granulated white sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup dark molasses (spray measuring cup with non-stick pan spray prior to measuring to prevent molasses from sticking to the measuring cup).

Recommended Videos



Confectioners Frosting:
2 cups Meijer confectioner's sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
1/2 cup Meijer unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon McCormick pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons milk or light cream

Directions:
1.  Gingerbread: In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.   In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses and then beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. 
2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside while you roll out the dough.
3.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cookie cutter or other shapes to cut out cookies.  Using a spatula lift the cut out cookies onto the baking sheet, placing the cookies about one inch apart.  Note: If you are hanging the cookies or using as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw or end of a wooden skewer.
4.  Bake 8 - 12 minutes.  Cookies are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown.  Remove the cookies from the oven and let stand about one minute. When they are firm enough to move, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5.  If desired, you can press raisins or candies into the dough for eyes and buttons while the cookies are still warm. Otherwise, confectioners frosting can be used to decorate the cookies.  Icing can also be used to attach candies, raisins, and sprinkles.

Confectioners Frosting: 
1.  In a medium to large bowl, cream the butter until smooth and well blended.  Add vanilla extract, mix.   Gradually beat in sugar until well blended.  Add milk and beat on high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). 
2.  Add a little more milk if too dry. Place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and decorate the gingerbread men as desired.  Alternately, make a small cut on the corner of a quart size zip-lock bag.  Fill bag with frosting and squeeze to decorate cookies. Makes 3 dozen cookies.