Friday, April 19, 2013

Pitter-Patter

I'm going to my friend's baby shower in a few hours. She's having a little girl. I made these out of Rene's gingerbread cookie recipe. I just don't get enough of those cookies if I only make them at Christmas time!
I used a royal frosting recipe for the frosting, which tasted terrible.  It looks cute, is easy to use, and dries to a nice hard finish, but has no redeeming qualities once it goes into your mouth. Use the cream cheese frosting instead if flavor is important.


Grandma Rene's Gingerbread Cookies
(the traditional recipe)

2 cups sugar (part brown, part white)
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
3 - 4 eggs
1 cup honey and molasses (mostly honey)
1 tablespoon ground ginger (heaping)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon oil
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
8 - 9 cups flour

Combine all ingredients, chill at least 1 hour.  Roll out 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutter or jar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9 min or until edges are barely browned.  Frost with cream cheese frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 3 drops of cinnamon oil
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar (maybe more...i'm not too
certain about exactly how much to use)

Mix cream cheese and butter until creamy, add vanilla and oil.  Add powdered sugar and blend, adding more powdered sugar if too runny or a tiny amounts of milk if too thick.