Sheep and rabbit spice cookies - house beautiful

1 dozen

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
⅔ cup Shortening or butter, room temperature
½ cup Packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons Ground ginger
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
1½ teaspoon Salt
1 large Egg
¾ cup Dark molasses
3 cups Sifted flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
½ teaspoon Baking powder
2 Recipes Royal Icing, separate recipe
Paste food coloring, available at cake supply stores
Egg whites
Water
Confectioners'sugar

Directions

In a large bowl cream together shortening, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Add molasses gradually and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to molasses mixture and mix until completely incorporated. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Roll dough on a floured surface to about ¼- inch thick. Cut out 1 dozen sheep with a 4-inch cookie cutter or 1 dozen rabbits with a 5-inch cookie cutter. Shapes can also be traced, or drawn freehand onto cardboard. Cut out cardboard pattern and use for cutting out shapes on dough. Bake on parchment-lined cookie sheets in a preheated 375' oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks.

Divide icing into individual bowls, tint with desired colors and keep covered when not in use.

Paint cookies: Icing should be the consistency of Elmer's glue. If icing is too thick, add a small amount of egg white or water. Paint cookie areas using small paint brushes just to the edge of the cookie. Dry cookies overnight.

Outline cookies; Tint 1 C royal icing with black or other paste coloring. Icing should be thick but flow easily from a pastry bag. If icing is too thin, add a small amount of confectioners' sugar. Fit a small pastry bag with a #2 decorative tip and pipe outline around painted areas. Allow icing to dry fully overnight before storing.

House Beautiful/April/94 Scanned & fixed by DP & GG

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