Gingerbread Cookies!

Our online research really did find the best gingerbread cookie recipe! We did have the original recipe linked here, but it has since been removed, so this is a link to my own recipes.

Secrets: use a kitchen aid mixer, it makes mixing in molasses SO MUCH EASIER!!!

Use sheets of parchment (or wax) paper to roll out the dough, then put the sheets on a cookie sheet in the fridge for a few minutes to have the dough harden up a little. Then they can be either transferred to another sheet to make more bake at one time, or they can be baked directly on that sheet. Use sheets once and then toss. Seems wasteful, but again, SO MUCH EASIER! If you have never made gingerbread cookies before, then take our word for it!

Tips for the best fun: have friends help, especially the little guys! They will be guaranteed to make a mess, but you can clean that up later. When working with kids, keep an eye out for clean hands, accidental dropping of dough (so they don't try to put it back in the batch), and have fun! Don't worry, none of the dough from the cookies we baked were dropped on the floor.

Mixing the batches:



Putting batches in large baggies so they can setup in fridge:



Time to roll out the dough.
Decisions, decisions! Gotta pick just the right cookie cutters!

Proud workers:



Now, time to decorate!


long-time tradition of putting icing on the little fingers and knuckles...without a doubt, this was a HIT with some folks!
Sam kept coming back for MORE! The expression on his little face once he figured out what was going on was absolutely priceless!




Of all the helpers and tasters, this little guy was our best client!
I honestly believe he enjoyed them more than anyone else!
It's what he wanted for breakfast snack, good thing they don't have a lot of sugar (for a cookie, that is).



Some of the finished product:







What fun!

And that was just one part of the fun we had for the whole Thanksgiving weekend. More on that later, too much to write to do it now. ;)
...the whole "back to homework thing" is in order for now

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