Gingerbread Men

Old-Fashioned
Gingerbread

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. molasses
3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/3 c. water

Directions-
Preheat oven to 375^ F. Cream butter and sugar thoroughly with electric mixer. Beat in molasses. Blend all dry ingredients. Alternately add blended dry ingredients and water to the butter sugar mixture. Dough will become stiff, so that last dry addition may need to be blended in by hand. Work dough until it is smooth in consistency. If dough sticks to your hands, lightly dust them with flour. Careful though, too much flour makes dough dry and hard. When dough is easy to work, you’re ready to roll it out and make gingerbread men. If your not going to make your gingerbread men right away, wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate. Refrigerated dough will keep for a week, but be sure to remove it 3 hours prior to rolling so it softens and is workable. Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick and cut out gingerbread men. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on cooling racks.

Enjoy!
~@~Courtney~@~