Gingerbread Cookies

These are a special holiday treat!
One year I made them for a holiday party and many wanted the recipe. The secret ingredient, I think, is pepper!
Like most cookie doughs, you can make it and freeze then cut out and thaw portions to make smaller batches.
The first batch was used in Andrew's lunch and he ate all 4 cookies right up! There was a complaint that not all of them had raisins (note to self).
I would have done a better job decorating but it was late and I didn't make my own frosting.
I've included a good recipe below (which is also good for sugar cookies and adding dye to).
Make sure your spices aren't years old and if they are, do a smell check. They should be potent or else your cookies will suffer from being less than stellar!

In a medium bowl stir together flours, cinnamon, ginger, soda, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cloves.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground cloves

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat 1 cup of softened butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of sugar, beat until fluffy.
Beat in an egg until mixture is light.
On low speed beat in 1/2 cup molasses and 2 TB lemon juice.
Beat in 1/2 then slowly all of the flour mixture.
Divide the dough in half, cover and chill at least 3 hours or until easy to handle.

On a floured surface, roll half of dough at a time to 1/8" thickness. Cut out with your favorite cookie cutters.
Place cutouts 1/2" apart on an ungreased baking sheet. I used nonstick foil in the toaster oven.

Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

I decorated with Cake Mate white icing from a tube. It hardened. More preferable is the following recipe for Royal Icing.
You can simply put it in a zip top bag and snip a small corner off it.

"Royal icing is the icing of choice for decorating cookies....It hardens when it dries so decorations stay in place. This is a basic recipe for white icing, but you could add food coloring to make it any shade you please."

For a looser icing, add lemon juice by the 1/2 teaspoon until desired consistency.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups powdered sugar (1 [1-pound] box)
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 5 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed, stopping to scrape down the bowl, until glossy and stiff, about 5 minutes.
2. Fill a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with one corner snipped off and use to decorate cookies. (If not using immediately, place a piece of waxed paper on the surface, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. Stir before using.)