Run, run as fast as you can........

You can't catch me........ I'm the Gingerbread man !!! Yes it's that time again....... Gingerbread men

1/2 cup butter 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup molasses 1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg 1/2 tsp. cloves
2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cream sugar and butter til smooth. Add molasses and egg. Beat well. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then blend into molasses mixture.
Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate at least an hour. I refrigerate overnight so I can start fresh the next day.

The trick for me when rolling out my dough is to A. keep the dough really, really cold. and B. Use LOTS of powdered sugar. Cut your dough blob in half and keep the one your not rolling in the fridge. Same with the left over bits that are left around your cut out. Change them out and keep what your using COLD.

I don't use extra flour, that seems to make my cookies dry, Lay out a fresh piece of wax paper and sprinkle away. Go ahead, don't be shy, liberally sprinkle the white stuff all over the wax paper.

Then plop down your dough and liberally sprinkle that too. It's the closest thing to looking like snow around here. Cover your rolling pen too. Trust me it only makes the cookies sweeter and it it keeps it from sticking to the pen.

Roll out your dough to about 1/4 inch. I like my cookies a bit thicker and not to crispy.

Dip your cutter into........ yep ...... powdered sugar and cut away.

Gently, gently, gently, while still cold.... place your little men on a parchment lined cookie sheet, Space them nicely, they will rise while baking.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Just until the cookie no longer looks wet, towards the middle. I baked mine for 9 minutes.

You can remove the entire piece of paper from the pan to cool or let them sit on the pan for a minute then remove them to a cooling rack to cool.

I seal mine in plastic bags and freeze until ready to frost.

I like to start each step fresh so I wait to frost. You can frost right away if you like.

Enjoy and remember the real reason for this season!!!!!!!!