Gingerbread cookies

These gingerbread cookies were the perfect recipe for the holiday season! My kids had fun decorating them and everybody loves getting them as gifts! :)

• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup butter
• 1cup granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cup unsulphered molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. flavoring extract such as vanilla or orange
• 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. Cream together shortening, butter, and granulated sugar.
2. Add the molasses and eggs and whip until light and fluffy.
3.  Sift all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl then use a measuring cup to add the dry ingredients about a cup at a time.
4. Separate the dough into three equal pieces, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour or two, or overnight.
5. When ready to take dough out of fridge, preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
6. Roll out on floured parchment paper to about 1/4 an inch thick and cut into desired shapes. Place the cut out cookies into the freezer for ten minutes or so before baking.
7. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes for small cookies, 8-10 minutes for medium, and 10-15 minutes for large. Let cool, then decorate with vanilla royal icing.
    

Recipe courtesy: sweetsugarbelle.com