If you follow me on facebook or twitter you may have noticed that I have been spending a bit of time away from APT 2B. There was just too much exciting stuff happening without me back home in Seattle so I decided to spend a nice chunk of time with my family and friends out west this holiday season. So here I am, in the great Northwest making

Gingerbread Cookies

adapted from Simply Recipes

yield about 3dz, 3'' cookies

3 1/4c all-purpose flour

3/4t baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) softened unsalted butter

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1T ground ginger

1T cinnamon

1/4t ground cloves

1/2t finely grated nutmeg

1/4t finely ground black pepper

1/2t salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.

2. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, then the molasses.

3. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. You may need to use your hands to finish the mixing as the dough is quite stiff. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hr.

When you are ready to bake heat oven to 350°.

1. Place one half of the dough on a lightly floured board, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/4'' thick if you prefer chewier cookies, 1/8'' thick if you prefer crunchy. Use a cookie cutter or stencil to cut out desired shapes. If you find the dough is too soft to cut into shapes, try refrigerating it on a sheet pan for a few minutes, then proceed to cut out your desired shapes.

2. Place the cut outs onto ungreased sheet pans or pans lined with silicone mats. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges have just barely begun to brown. Cool the cookies on the pans for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cook completely. Decorate as desired.

To Decorate

Royal Icing

from Simply Recipes

yield, enough to decorate about 3dz, 3'' cookies with lines and dots or about 1/2 that amount if you are filing in the cookies completely

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1. Combine all of the ingredients and beat with a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer) until stiff peaks form.

2. Decorate cookies as desired.