Fare Report: Homemade Gingerbread Cookies

And while you’re giving a baking lesson, give a little history lesson too. Gingerbread dates from around the 15th century with the first documented figure-shaped gingerbread at the court of Elizabeth I of England.

In 1892, Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet, “The Nutcracker,” featured an army of gingerbread men fighting against the Mouse King and his fellows.

A more recent fun fact from the Guinness World Records regarding gingerbread is that the world’s largest gingerbread man was made by the staff of IKEA in Oslo, Norway, on November 9, 2009. The gingerbread man weighed 1,435.2 pounds — now that’s a big cookie.

Regardless of how big the gingerbread cookie is, it is the perfect cookie to leave for Santa. So, clip this recipe, give it a try, and have some fun.

Homemade Gingerbread Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg

½ cup molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, brown sugar and egg on medium speed until well blended.

Next, add molasses and vanilla. Continue to mix until well blended.

Now, gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth. Divide dough in half and wrap each in plastic. Allow to stand at room temperature for about two hours.

Grease two large cookie sheets and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, place one portion of the dough. Sprinkle a rolling pin with flour. Roll dough out to a ¼ inch thickness.

Use a gingerbread men cookie cutter to cut cookies. Place gingerbread men on the prepared baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes. Bake each set of cookies separately.

Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to cool. After cookies are cool, decorate them with icing and sprinkles.

Enjoy!