{recipe} Gingerbread Cookies

I am not the best at making cookies, and it is not my favorite thing to do (yet) - but every Christmas the kids want to make some cookies - so we decided to switch things up this year.  We made half a recipe (because I hate having dozens of cookies laying around) and we opted for gingerbread cookies this year instead of the traditional sugar cookies.  This recipe is way easy to make, and it taste pretty yummy.  I searched for a couple of recipes of recipes, and combined what I liked the best.

  GINGERBREAD COOKIES:
* makes about 3 dozen cookies

for the cookies:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted (I use King Arthur flour)
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda (Bob's Red Mill is my favorite brand)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsulphured molasses

for the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp  vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp whole milk

* I recommend using organic/grass-fed/high quality ingredients from reputable companies when feasible.

In  medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Set aside.

Cream the unsalted butte and brown sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer (this is the one I own and love,) add the egg, vanilla, and molasses, beating until combined.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

Form the cookie dough into 2 disks, and tightly wrap the dough disks in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet  with parchment paper (I like to use unbleached parchment paper.)

Light flour your works surface and roll out the cookie dough disks.  Using different cookie cutter shapes, cut out the desired cookies.  Place the cookie cutouts on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes.  Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a  wire cooling rack. 

While the cookies are cooling, make the icing - place the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and milk in a bowl and whisk until combine.  Transfer the icing to a piping bag.

Once the cookies have completely cooled, decorate them as desired.

Keep the gingerbread cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week, if they keep that long.