Gingerbread Bears

12 Days of (Christmas) Cookies

Day 10

Gingerbread Bears

I love the smell of gingerbread cookies baking in the oven almost as much as I enjoy eating them! But I can't bear (no pun intended) to eat this little man... he's too cute!

Ingredients:

• 3 c flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 c butter, softened
• 3/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 c molasses
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy.
• Add the molasses and egg, beat well.
• Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture on low speed, until well mixed.
• Form the dough into a thick flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface.
• Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
• Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.
• Enjoy!