GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Imagine my Delight (and that's Delight with a capital "D"!) when I found this photo that I took last December of my gingerbread snowflakes.  I don't know why this photo did not make the cut last year during my holiday baking, but it certainly will come in handy now.  I did just roll and bake gingerbread cookies today, but with a list of other obligations I will not get around to decorating them until the weekend.  So many recipes that I have seen for gingerbread cookies result in rather thick, cakey cookies, but this dough can be rolled quite thin and will give you a cookie with a nice little snap when you bite into it... just the way I like it.  These cookies were iced with Confectioner's sugar that I thin with just half & half, but they're also extremely good when dipped in melted chocolate.  Really, really good!

                                  GINGERBREAD COOKIES

•  1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

   In a large, heavy saucepan, mix together butter, sugar and molasses with the vinegar.  Bring to a boil.  Cool.  Add the egg.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger.  Add the salt.  Add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture.  Mix well and chill.  Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness and cut out shapes.  Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a preheated 375˚ F oven for 8-12 minutes.