Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened about halfway
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup molasses, not blackstrap
• 1 – 2 Tbsp milk
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp meringue powder
• 4 – 6 Tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly blended, then set that bowl aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and butter together until they are fully combined, pausing now and then to scrape the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix them in. Pour in the molasses and 1 Tbsp milk, then mix again.
4. Turn the mixer to low and gradually work in the dry ingredients. Mix just until the dough comes together, adding only as much additional milk as needed to help it hold.
5. Split the dough into 2 equal pieces. Place each piece between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it evenly to 1/4-inch thickness, shaping it more oblong or rectangular so it will fit on a cookie sheet.
6. Set the rolled dough on a cookie sheet and chill it in the freezer for 10 – 20 minutes, until firm. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
7. Peel the cookies away from the parchment, using a thin metal spatula or pastry scraper if you need a little help, then move them to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Leave about 1-inch between cookies and bake in the heated oven for 8 minutes, or until the edges and tops look slightly set.
8. Take the cookies out of the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Move them to a wire rack to cool all the way, then repeat the rolling, chilling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough.
9. For the icing, place the powdered sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Attach the paddle, add 4 Tbsp water and the vanilla, and mix on low until everything comes together.
10. Add more water as needed to loosen the icing, then raise the mixer speed and beat until the icing turns glossy and thickens. Tint it with food coloring if you’d like, then spoon it into piping bags fitted with tiny round tips.
11. Decorate the cookies with the icing and add sprinkles if desired. Allow the icing to set at room temperature, then store the cookies in an airtight container.