Ingredients
- Cookies:
- 1/2 butter or margarine, softened
- 1/2 brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 s all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Royal Icing:
- 2 2/3 s sifted confectioners sugar
- 4 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- candies, mints and gumdrops to decorate
Directions
Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat until smooth. In medium bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; stir until soft dough forms. On lightly floured surface, use floured rolling pin to roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Enlarge house pattern 125% on copy machine and trace onto tissue or waxed paper. Make template on heavy cardboard that can be cut around. Cut out 6 cookies. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to wire rack with waxed paper underneath to cool completely.
Royal icing: Beat confectioners sugar, water, meringue powder and lemon extract in medium bowl with electric mixer 7 to 10 minutes or until stiff. Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with medium round tip. Pipe icing onto cookies. Use candies, mints, and gumdrops to decorate cookies as desired. Allow icing to harden. Store in an airtight container. Makes 6 cookies.
