Gingerbreadmen Cookies using Marilyn Johnson's Recipe!

 This wonderfully old fashioned cookie is such a happy cookie to see around the holidays! Decorate in a myriad of ways, I went retro with my Gingerbread folk! Pipe frosting on or if you want to be child friendly & easier just spread the entire cookie with frosting & let the kids decorate as they wish! This cookie may be made chewy or crisp just lengthen the baking time for a crisp Gingerbread crunch! I made mine crisp because that is how my husband's family likes them + they store better & longer but with these spicy, sweet faces looking at you, they won't need to be stored for long because everyone will want to gobble them up!
     For a very old time look bake the cookies with raisins as decoration & then just pipe on the trim!

       Or Pipe on frosting & plop Cinnamon Red Hot Candies on for eyes & buttons & you get an extra kick of spice!

                                                                                     Aren't these just so cute & the decorating ideas are endless! Use Red Hots or Raisins or Chocolate Chips, Sanding Sugar or just dust with powdered sugar anything will do! Have Fun & create your very own Gingerbread Families! 

COOKIE DOUGH:
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Shortening
1 & 1/2 Cup Dark Molasses ( I used Grandma's Molasses)
2/3 Cup Cold Water ( or use cold coffee for EXTRA flavor)
1 TSP Vanilla
7 Cups Flour
2 TSP Baking Soda
2 TSP Ground Ginger
1 TSP Ground Allspice
1 TSP Cinnamon
1 TSP Ground Cloves
1/2 TSP Salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees! 
This dough is VERY EASY to work with & no scraps left; you can just keep rolling out the dough after you cut out your shapes so there is no wasted dough!
Stir all of your dry ingredients together & set aside. Beat The sugar, shortening until fluffy. Add the molasses & water OR coffee & beat again. This will not look nice with shortening & molasses floating around but that is what it will look like! Now add about 1/3 of the dry ingredient mixture & beat. Slowly add the rest of the flour mixture 1/3 at a time switching to a heavy spoon & stirring in the remaining dry ingredients. Cover & refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake take dough out of fridge . Lightly spray or grease your baking sheets. On a LIGHTLY & I mean LIGHTLY floured surface DO NOT USE MUCH FLOUR OR YOUR COOKIES WILL LOOK DUSTY, roll a portion of dough about 1 cup of dough, to about 1/8 inch thick. I liked mine a little thicker so use your judgement here! Cut out gingerbread shapes with your cookie cutters. Lay then on your LIGHTLY sprayed cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. IF using raisins for that OLD FASHIONED look lightly press then into the dough otherwise just bake undecorated! Bake 8 to 10 minutes for CHEWY cookies & 10 to 12 minutes for CRISP cookies! Remove from sheets as soon as they are out of the oven! ENJOY THAT GINGERBREAD SMELL! LOVELY! Let cookies cool completely & then frost with the following frosting! This recipe made about 4 dozen Gingerbreadmen for me bit I used varies sized cookie cutters. It will depend on your cookie cutter size as to how many cookie you will end up with from this recipe!

FROSTING:
4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1 TSP Vanilla
Dash of Salt
5 TBS of Half & Half Cream
Stir all together using a heavy spoon or whisk! Pipe onto cooled cookies or cover the entire cookie with frosting! Decorate with Red Hot Candies, Chocolate Chips, Sprinkles or any idea you have because these are so CUTE they look happy anyway you dress them!
I made a double batch of this frosting because The Johnson's cover the entire cookie with frosting & the let the children do the decorating & also I LOVE FROSTING so I wanted my Gingerbread people well frosted! ENJOY MARILYNN'S Cookies they are YUMMY!   
                 

Take note of the Gingerbreadman covered in white frosting & Red Hot's, that is how the kiddies like them, HOW FUN IS THAT? ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY BAKING FOODIES!