PAINTED GINGER COOKIES

A beautifully decorated cookie with a mild gingerbread flavour.

PAINTED GINGER COOKIES Bake at 350 F - 10 - 12 minutes

Cookie:

5 - 6 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup butter or margarine at room temperature

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup dark molasses

1/2 cup milk

Cookie Paints:

Yolks from large eggs - 1 egg per colour

Food colouring

Directions:

Mix flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in one bowl.

Beat butter and brown sugar with mixer until fluffy, in a separate, larger bowl.

Add molasses and beat until well blended.

Add flour mixture, alternating with milk, 3 times, until well mixed. Will be crumbly and stiff.

Work with hands to form a dough. Divide dough in half and flatten into 1 inch thick rectangles.

Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 F and lightly grease baking sheets.

Roll dough out on lightly floured surface (with floured rolling pin). Roll half of the dough at a

time into an approximately 12 inch by 9 inch rectangle.

Cut dough into 3 x 2 inch rectangles and place 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheets.

With cookie cutters, etc. stamp your pattern gently onto the rectangle shaped cookies. Do not

cut through the dough.

Cookie Paints:

Put 1 egg yolk in a small bowl. Add the food colouring of your choice and mix with a fork until

well blended. Add more drops of food colouring for more intense and vibrant colours.

Use 1 egg yolk and bowl for each colour.

Using a paint brush, paint the stamped patterns.

Baking:

Bake 10 - 12 minutes until the tops look dry and the painted patterns are shiny.

Remove from the pan to a rack to cool.

Can be frozen, after baking.