Share Alike Cooking: Gingerbread Men (w/ Royal Icing I & II)

INSTANT ClearJel®: Long ago, I discovered the secret of adding 2 tsp (per 1 cup all-purpose) for baking and keeping cookies "chewy & soft". ICJ makes rolling out cookie dough, made with gluten, much easier! Plus, ICJ helps keep cookies baked: remain chewy & soft; if you prefer crispier cookies, omit.

Gluten Free Tested: I tested this recipe with "all-purpose" Better Batter Flour, Gluten Free. Since there's NO gluten, I omitted the ICJ. I preferred the GF cookies rolled thinner, 1/8-inch thick, and baked crispier, than I use to do traditionally. I decided the GF cookies were perfect, when baked in a 300°F preheated oven for 18 minutes. Cool 2 minutes in the pan, before transferring directly to a rack. Fabulous! Even all my non-GF-eaters agreed!

Reduce Sticking: Roll the dusted dough out onto a dusted Silpat, slide an off-set spatula underneath dough. This helps to reduce sticking and the amount of (choice of flour) to dust with. The less extra flour, as necessary (any kind), helps improve the crumb texture. Dip cookie cutters in (flour), cut and transfer to parchment-lined half sheets. Bake one sheet at a time.

Freezing: Flash freeze uncooked cookies for 30 minutes, until frozen on covered, baking sheets for. Seal and date in a labeled zip-type freezer bag/s, and use within 3 months. Bake, unthawed cookies a few minutes longer, than directed below.

Gingerbread Men
Makes: 48-60

Large Mixing Bowl:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 whole eggs*, beaten
2/3 cup molasses

Dry Ingredients:
4+ cups all-purpose flour*, and more for dusting
Scant 3 Tbsp spicy gingerbread mix (recipe below)
1 tsp salt (omit salt, if using SALTED butter)
1/2 tsp baking soda

*Notes:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 tsp meringue powder (cake decorating supplies)
3 Tbsp warm water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract, or to taste
1/4 tsp lemon, (or almond extract) to taste

Royal Icing II: (w/ reserved raw egg white)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg white
1/4 tsp vanilla extract, or to taste
1/4 tsp lemon, (or almond extract) to taste

DIRECTIONS

Large Mixing Bowl: By hand, cream together the butter and sugar together; scrape bottom and sides down, as necessary. Beat in the egg and 1 extra white, one at a time; beat in the molasses. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Stir in half the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Then add 1-cup at a time, until flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball. As needed, add 1-Tbsp extra flour, as necessary. The dough will still be very soft, wrap in a plastic wrap,; chill at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

Royal Icing I or II: In a bowl, combine ingredients in a bowl. Using a hand mixer, whip frosting 10-14 minutes, beating until fluffy. Add more water, by teaspoons, if icing is too thick for if too thin to pipe gingerbread men (eyes, smile, cuffs and buttons). Add a bit more powdered sugar, if you find it too thin. Fit a pastry bag with a fine line tip. Spoon icing to the bag, and set aside.

Preheat Oven: Choose oven temperature (See Baking: below). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cookies: Dust your dough and work surface, (I lightly flour it and my Silpat). Divide the dough in half, rewrapping 1/2, which goes back in the fridge. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness (for Gluten Free cookies) or 1/4-inch thick, for thicker, chewier cookies. Loosen the dough, from underneath, with an off-set spatula, helps to reduce stickiness and flour. In a small bowl, adding flour to dip cookie cutters, also helps. Cut out shapes. Place cookies onto lined baking sheet/s. Only bake 1 sheet at a time.

Baking: For "softer, chewy" cookies, w/ regular flour, bake for 10 minutes at 350°F. Or for "crispier cookies" (preferred for GF flour), baking at 300°F 18 for minutes, makes cookies with a snap! Cool cookies 2 minutes in pans, and then transfer to a cooling rack. Completely cool, before decorating.

Storing: Place baked cookies in tightly covered storage containers. I used cookies tin/s, helps retain freshness. Adding layers of wax paper, helps retain crispy edges, or snap, for "baked crisp" cookies.