Gingerbread Men

Makes a lot of cookies. Half the recipe if you like.

ingredients

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 large eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/3 cups fancy molasses (if you're halving the recipe, half is 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp.)
1 cup melted vegetable shortening (you could probably substitute butter for the shortening but it will result in a crispier cookie)

method

Beat eggs, brown sugar and molasses together. Add melted shortening.

Combine remaining dry ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly. Add to egg mixture and mix until combined thoroughly and mixture is doughy.

Form into 2 balls. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out gingerbread until it is evenly about 1/4 inch thick. (*Tip: Cover dough with plastic wrap and then roll. No sticking!) Using a cookie cutter, press out shapes. Carefully lift cut shapes with spatula and place on cookie sheet, leaving about an inch between cookies.

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes (depending on size and thickness). Cool on cookie sheet for a minute or two before transfering to a wire rack to cool. (Tip: for a more cake-like cookie, remove cookies when they are still puffy and let sit on cookie sheet until stable enough to transfer. For a crispier cookie, bake just until the are no longer puffy. Let sit on cookie sheet just a minute and then transfer to cooling rack).