Night Owl's Favorite Gingerbread

By junerodgers

Better gobble these cookies down,as they have been known to disappear.

Ingredients

• Icing:
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup sifted light brown sugar
• 2 T molasses
• 3 T boiled then cooled water
• 2 tsp grated lemon rind
• 2 1/4 cup sifted all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp ground cardoman seeds
• 3 egg whites
• 1 lb confectioner's sugar
• 1 T white vinegar

Details

Servings 60

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Add molasses, water and lemon rind.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and cardoman and add gradually to the creamed mixture. Mix well.

Toss dough on a floured surface. Shape into loaf and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Remove chilled dough and place on floured surface. Roll out dough very thin.

Using ghost-shaped cookie cutters, cut out cookies from dough and place on cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool before icing.

Icing Recipe:
In a bowl, beat egg whites lightly with a fork.

Add sugar and beat with an electric mixer on lowest speed for 1 minute.

Add vinegar and beat on high speed for 2 more minutes, until still and glossy.

Use a pastry tube to decorate with icing.