Gingerbread People

Gingerbread People (Adapted from Nick Malgieri)

5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup molasses

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and baking soda.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until well mixed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating smooth after each addition. Scrape down bowl and beater. Add about half of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Beat in all the molasses - scrape bowl the bowl and beater. Add the remaining flour mixture, about 1 cup at a time, and beat after each addition until it has all been absorbed.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and give the dough a final mixing with a large rubber spatula. Scoop about half the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and press it to about a 1/2" thickness - repeat with other half. Wrap well and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator and divide it in half - re-wrap one half and return it to the refrigerator.

Between two sheets of parchment paper (or on a floured surface), roll the dough until it is about 1/4" thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out cookies from the dough - place them on parchment lined baking sheets as you cut them. Repeat process with remaining dough. Save, press together, and re-roll any scraps.

Bake until they feel slightly firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 12 to 15 minutes - do not over bake. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

This makes a lot of cookies, depending on how large of cookie cutters you use.